how to use unix configure to compile 32 bits executable on 64 bits

Question

I want to compile a program using the standard ./configure , make, make install. I am using 64 bits machine but I want the executable to be 32 bits executable.

What is the way to do this, I did ./configure --help but saw nothing on this (it has the --disable-64bit but it does not seem to do the work

Answer 1

What is the platform and compiler?

I'd be inclined to say either:

1. run configure to get your Makefile and then add then relevant compiler option to the CFLAGS macro, e.g. CFLAGS=${CFLAGS} -m32 for Sun cc, or
2. add that macro edit to the Makefile.in file being used as a template by configure.

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Edit:

Forgot to add that I've done both several times before when I needed to.