diff --git a/configuration/configure.ac b/configuration/configure.ac
index 8eb90c9..5967559 100755
--- a/configuration/configure.ac
+++ b/configuration/configure.ac
@@ -31,17 +31,34 @@
 dnl aren't defined, as the makefiles will warn about this anyway. It's really
 dnl just more for completeness than anything that they're included here.
 dnl
-AC_MSG_NOTICE([checking required environment variables])
+AC_MSG_NOTICE([checking handbook environment])
 
 AC_ARG_VAR(TEACHING_SHARED, [the root level of the shared teaching directory (e.g., /path/to/Teaching/Shared)])
 AC_ARG_VAR(ALL_PAPERS_ROOT, [the root level of the current teaching directory hierarchy (e.g., /path/to/Teaching/2005)])
 AC_ARG_VAR(HANDBOOK_INSTALL_ROOT, [the root level of the directory hierarchy on the web server (e.g., \\INFO-NTS-12\DBCourses$)])
-AC_ARG_VAR(XSLT, [default XSLT processor (in order of preference: "saxon-b", "saxon", "xalan" (Java), "Xalan" (C))])
+AC_ARG_VAR(XSLT, [default XSLT processor (in order of preference: "saxon-b", "saxon", "xalan-j", "xalan-c")])
 
 AC_CHECK_ENVVAR([TEACHING_SHARED])
 AC_CHECK_ENVVAR([ALL_PAPERS_ROOT])
 AC_CHECK_ENVVAR([HANDBOOK_INSTALL_ROOT])
-AC_CHECK_ENVVAR([XSLT])
+
+dnl This one is required for configuration, so handle separately.
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([XSLT])
+if test -z $XSLT; then
+	AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
+	AC_MSG_ERROR([required environment variable XSLT not defined])
+else
+	AC_MSG_RESULT([$XSLT])
+	# Figure out the appropriate name of the executable based on $XSLT.
+	case $XSLT in
+		"xalan-c")
+			xslt_processor="Xalan";;
+		"xalan-j")
+			xslt_processor="xalan";;
+		*)
+			xslt_processor=$XSLT;;
+	esac
+fi
 
 
 dnl
@@ -97,8 +114,10 @@
 dnl Miscellaneous utilities.
 dnl
 AC_PROG_SED
-
+AC_PATH_PROG(CUT, cut)
 AC_PROG_PERL_VERSION(5.6.0)
+AC_PATH_PROG(DATE, date)
+AC_PATH_PROG(EXPR, expr)
 
 AC_PROG_JAVA
 AC_CHECK_CLASS([org.apache.xml.resolver.apps.resolver])
@@ -131,21 +150,24 @@
 
 dnl Use a different variable for the XSLT processor path to keep it distinct
 dnl from the XSLT environment variable, which serves a slightly different
-dnl purpose.
-AC_PATH_PROGS(XSLTPROC, [saxon-b saxon xalan Xalan])
+dnl purpose. However, we use the value derived from $XSLT above to seed the
+dnl executable name.
+AC_PATH_PROG(XSLTPROC, [$xslt_processor])
 
 
 dnl
 dnl Image manipulation and conversion (includes PDF & PS).
 dnl
 AC_PATH_PROG(CONVERT, convert)
+AC_PATH_PROG(COMPOSITE, composite)
 AC_PATH_PROG(PDFNUP, pdfnup)
 AC_PATH_PROG(PDFCROP, pdfcrop)
 AC_PATH_PROG(PS2EPS, ps2eps)
+AC_PATH_PROG(PS2PDF, ps2pdf)
+AC_PATH_PROG(SHIFTBBOX, shiftbbox)
 AC_PATH_PROG(EPSTOPDF, epstopdf)
 AC_PATH_PROG(INKSCAPE, inkscape)
 AC_PATH_PROG(GS, gs)
-AC_PATH_PROG(SHIFTBBOX, shiftbbox)
 
 
 dnl