git clone http://git.xfce.org/panel-plugins/xfce4-sample-plugin/
cd xfce4-sample-plugin
./autogen.sh --enable-maintainer-mode --prefix=/usr --disable-debug

$ ./autogen.sh 
Preparing package directory /home/beardedlinuxgeek/Downloads/xfce4-sample-plugin...
Creating /home/beardedlinuxgeek/Downloads/xfce4-sample-plugin/aclocal.m4...
Running glib-gettextize --force --copy...
Copying file mkinstalldirs
Copying file po/Makefile.in.in

Please add the files
  codeset.m4 gettext.m4 glibc21.m4 iconv.m4 isc-posix.m4 lcmessage.m4
  progtest.m4
from the /usr/share/aclocal directory to your autoconf macro directory
or directly to your aclocal.m4 file.
You will also need config.guess and config.sub, which you can get from
ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/config/.

Running intltoolize --automake --copy --force
Patching file 'po/Makefile.in.in'
Running libtoolize --force --copy...
libtoolize: putting auxiliary files in `.'.
libtoolize: copying file `./ltmain.sh'
libtoolize: You should add the contents of the following files to `aclocal.m4':
libtoolize:   `/usr/share/aclocal/libtool.m4'
libtoolize:   `/usr/share/aclocal/ltoptions.m4'
libtoolize:   `/usr/share/aclocal/ltversion.m4'
libtoolize:   `/usr/share/aclocal/ltsugar.m4'
libtoolize:   `/usr/share/aclocal/lt~obsolete.m4'
libtoolize: Consider adding `AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])' to configure.ac and
libtoolize: rerunning libtoolize, to keep the correct libtool macros in-tree.
libtoolize: Consider adding `-I m4' to ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS in Makefile.am.
Running aclocal   -I /usr/share/xfce4/dev-tools/m4macros -I /usr/share/xfce4/dev-tools/m4macros...
configure.ac:37: error: 'AM_CONFIG_HEADER': this macro is obsolete.
    You should use the 'AC_CONFIG_HEADERS' macro instead.
/usr/share/aclocal-1.13/obsolete-err.m4:12: AM_CONFIG_HEADER is expanded from...
configure.ac:37: the top level
autom4te: /usr/bin/m4 failed with exit status: 1
aclocal: error: echo failed with exit status: 1

configure.ac: error: no proper invocation of AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE was found.
configure.ac: You should verify that configure.ac invokes AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE,
configure.ac: that aclocal.m4 is present in the top-level directory,
configure.ac: and that aclocal.m4 was recently regenerated (using aclocal)
configure.ac:59: error: required file './install-sh' not found
configure.ac:59:   'automake --add-missing' can install 'install-sh'
Makefile.am: error: required file './INSTALL' not found
Makefile.am:   'automake --add-missing' can install 'INSTALL'
panel-plugin/Makefile.am:1: warning: 'INCLUDES' is the old name for 'AM_CPPFLAGS' (or '*_CPPFLAGS')
panel-plugin/Makefile.am:10: error: Libtool library used but 'LIBTOOL' is undefined
panel-plugin/Makefile.am:10:   The usual way to define 'LIBTOOL' is to add 'LT_INIT'
panel-plugin/Makefile.am:10:   to 'configure.ac' and run 'aclocal' and 'autoconf' again.
panel-plugin/Makefile.am:10:   If 'LT_INIT' is in 'configure.ac', make sure
panel-plugin/Makefile.am:10:   its definition is in aclocal's search path.
panel-plugin/Makefile.am: error: required file './depcomp' not found
panel-plugin/Makefile.am:   'automake --add-missing' can install 'depcomp'
/usr/share/automake-1.13/am/depend2.am: error: am__fastdepCC does not appear in AM_CONDITIONAL
/usr/share/automake-1.13/am/depend2.am:   The usual way to define 'am__fastdepCC' is to add 'AC_PROG_CC'
/usr/share/automake-1.13/am/depend2.am:   to 'configure.ac' and run 'aclocal' and 'autoconf' again
/usr/share/automake-1.13/am/depend2.am: error: AMDEP does not appear in AM_CONDITIONAL
/usr/share/automake-1.13/am/depend2.am:   The usual way to define 'AMDEP' is to add one of the compiler tests
/usr/share/automake-1.13/am/depend2.am:     AC_PROG_CC, AC_PROG_CXX, AC_PROG_OBJC, AC_PROG_OBJCXX,
/usr/share/automake-1.13/am/depend2.am:     AM_PROG_AS, AM_PROG_GCJ, AM_PROG_UPC
/usr/share/automake-1.13/am/depend2.am:   to 'configure.ac' and run 'aclocal' and 'autoconf' again