configure.ac file gets version from the DESCRIPTION file

configure

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #! /bin/sh
 # Guess values for system-dependent variables and create Makefiles.
-# Generated by GNU Autoconf 2.69 for Goldfish @VERSION@.
+# Generated by GNU Autoconf 2.69 for goldfish 1.6.6.
 #
 #
 # Copyright (C) 1992-1996, 1998-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@@ -574,10 +574,10 @@ MFLAGS=
 MAKEFLAGS=
 
 # Identity of this package.
-PACKAGE_NAME='Goldfish'
+PACKAGE_NAME='goldfish'
 PACKAGE_TARNAME='goldfish'
-PACKAGE_VERSION='@VERSION@'
-PACKAGE_STRING='Goldfish @VERSION@'
+PACKAGE_VERSION='1.6.6'
+PACKAGE_STRING='goldfish 1.6.6'
 PACKAGE_BUGREPORT=''
 PACKAGE_URL=''
 
@@ -1196,7 +1196,7 @@ if test "$ac_init_help" = "long"; then
   # Omit some internal or obsolete options to make the list less imposing.
   # This message is too long to be a string in the A/UX 3.1 sh.
   cat <<_ACEOF
-\`configure' configures Goldfish @VERSION@ to adapt to many kinds of systems.
+\`configure' configures goldfish 1.6.6 to adapt to many kinds of systems.
 
 Usage: $0 [OPTION]... [VAR=VALUE]...
 
@@ -1258,7 +1258,7 @@ fi
 
 if test -n "$ac_init_help"; then
   case $ac_init_help in
-     short | recursive ) echo "Configuration of Goldfish @VERSION@:";;
+     short | recursive ) echo "Configuration of goldfish 1.6.6:";;
    esac
   cat <<\_ACEOF
 
@@ -1338,7 +1338,7 @@ fi
 test -n "$ac_init_help" && exit $ac_status
 if $ac_init_version; then
   cat <<\_ACEOF
-Goldfish configure @VERSION@
+goldfish configure 1.6.6
 generated by GNU Autoconf 2.69
 
 Copyright (C) 2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@@ -1430,7 +1430,7 @@ cat >config.log <<_ACEOF
 This file contains any messages produced by compilers while
 running configure, to aid debugging if configure makes a mistake.
 
-It was created by Goldfish $as_me @VERSION@, which was
+It was created by goldfish $as_me 1.6.6, which was
 generated by GNU Autoconf 2.69.  Invocation command line was
 
   $ $0 $@
@@ -3020,7 +3020,7 @@ cat >>$CONFIG_STATUS <<\_ACEOF || ac_write_fail=1
 # report actual input values of CONFIG_FILES etc. instead of their
 # values after options handling.
 ac_log="
-This file was extended by Goldfish $as_me @VERSION@, which was
+This file was extended by goldfish $as_me 1.6.6, which was
 generated by GNU Autoconf 2.69.  Invocation command line was
 
   CONFIG_FILES    = $CONFIG_FILES
@@ -3073,7 +3073,7 @@ _ACEOF
 cat >>$CONFIG_STATUS <<_ACEOF || ac_write_fail=1
 ac_cs_config="`$as_echo "$ac_configure_args" | sed 's/^ //; s/[\\""\`\$]/\\\\&/g'`"
 ac_cs_version="\\
-Goldfish config.status @VERSION@
+goldfish config.status 1.6.6
 configured by $0, generated by GNU Autoconf 2.69,
   with options \\"\$ac_cs_config\\"
 
@@ -3636,7 +3636,7 @@ fi
 
 echo "
  --------------------------------------------------
-  Configuration for goldfish version ${VERSION}
+  Configuration for goldfish version ${PACKAGE_VERSION}
   ================
 
     openMP: ${openmp_flag}

configure.ac

@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 ## -*- mode: autoconf; autoconf-indentation: 4; -*-
 ##
 ## Copyright Dirk Eddelbuettel for RcppArmadillo (GPL-2)
+## https://stackoverflow.com/questions/46723854/rcpparmadillo-using-autoconf-to-disable-openmp
+## nspope/radish repo uses it
 
-VERSION=$(grep -i ^version DESCRIPTION | awk '{print $2}')
 ## require at least autoconf 2.69
 AC_PREREQ([2.69])
 
 ## Process this file with autoconf to produce a configure script.
-AC_INIT([Goldfish], @VERSION@)
+AC_INIT([goldfish], m4_esyscmd_s([awk -e '/^Version:/ {print $2}' DESCRIPTION]))
 
 ## Set R_HOME, respecting an environment variable if one is set
 : ${R_HOME=$(R RHOME)}
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ AC_OUTPUT
 
 echo "
  --------------------------------------------------
-  Configuration for goldfish version ${VERSION}
+  Configuration for goldfish version ${PACKAGE_VERSION}
   ================
 
     openMP: ${openmp_flag}