Use a script to generate the version string.

ChangeLog

@@ -1,3 +1,15 @@
+2010-05-09  Giuseppe Scrivano  <gscrivano@gnu.org>
+
+	* build-aux/bzr-version-gen: New file.
+
+	* Makefile.am (EXTRA_DIST): Add .version.
+	(BUILT_SOURCES): New defition.
+	(.version): New rule.
+	(dist-hook): Likewise.
+
+	* configure.ac (AC_INIT): Use build-aux/bzr-version-gen to generate the
+	version string.
+
 2010-05-08  Giuseppe Scrivano  <gscrivano@gnu.org>
 
 	* Makefile.am: Update copyright years.

Makefile.am

@@ -46,6 +46,19 @@ SUBDIRS = lib md5 src doc po tests util windows
 EXTRA_DIST = ChangeLog.README configure.bat MAILING-LIST \
              msdos/ChangeLog msdos/config.h msdos/Makefile.DJ \
              msdos/Makefile.WC ABOUT-NLS \
-             build-aux/build_info.pl
+             build-aux/build_info.pl .version
 
 CLEANFILES = *~ *.bak $(DISTNAME).tar.gz
+
+BUILT_SOURCES = .version
+
+clean-generic:
+	rm -f install-info
+
+.version:
+	echo $(VERSION) > $@-t && mv $@-t $@
+
+# Arrange so that .tarball-version appears only in the distribution
+# tarball, and never in a checked-out repository.
+dist-hook:
+	$(AM_V_GEN)echo $(VERSION) > $(distdir)/.tarball-version

build-aux/bzr-version-gen

@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+scriptversion=2010-05-09.22; # UTC
+
+# Copyright (C) 2010 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+# Additional permission under GNU GPL version 3 section 7
+
+
+# Written by Giuseppe Scrivano.
+
+if test -f .tarball-version
+then
+    cat .tarball-version | tr -d '\n'
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+DIRTY=""
+
+test -n "$(bzr diff | tr -d '\n')" && DIRTY="-dirty"
+
+REVNO=$(bzr revno)
+
+TAG=$(bzr tags -r $REVNO | cut -d' ' -f1)
+if test -z "$TAG"
+then
+    TAG=$(bzr tags -r ..$REVNO | cut -d' ' -f1)
+
+    # No tags yet
+    test -z "$TAG" && TAG="unknown"
+
+    TAG=$TAG-$REVNO
+fi
+
+
+printf "%s%s" "$TAG" "$DIRTY"
+
+# Local variables:
+# eval: (add-hook 'write-file-hooks 'time-stamp)
+# time-stamp-start: "scriptversion="
+# time-stamp-format: "%:y-%02m-%02d.%02H"
+# time-stamp-time-zone: "UTC"
+# time-stamp-end: "; # UTC"
+# End:

configure.ac

@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ dnl Process this file with autoconf to produce a configure script.
 dnl
 
 AC_INIT([wget],
-	[1.12.1-devel],
+  [m4_esyscmd([build-aux/bzr-version-gen])],
 	[bug-wget@gnu.org])
 AC_PREREQ(2.61)