where does autoconf look to find compilers? The path? The path plus something?

[Ed Hartnett]

Howdy all!

We're using autoconf, which I love, to help install netcdf, a freeware
scientific data library for Earth Science.

Where does autoconf look for compilers? For example, I am on a mac,
and autoconf finds a C++ compiler called CC, but it is not in my path.

So how did autoconf find it?

Also, is there any way to get autoconf to print the path of the
compiler that it finds?

Thanks for any info!

Ed