Re: -rpath with libtool and Debian Linux

[Ben Gertzfield <che@debian.org>]

>>>>> "Alexandre" == Alexandre Oliva <oliva@dcc.unicamp.br> writes:

    Alexandre> You might have included my suggestion to prevent having
    Alexandre> to move libraries in the first place: creating a
    Alexandre> libc6-specific directory right now, instead of
    Alexandre> installing libraries in /usr/lib and having to move
    Alexandre> them into another directory when libc7 should be
    Alexandre> released.

This is rather frustrating, because then we will need to make a 
/lib/libc6, /usr/lib/libc6, /usr/X11R6/libc6, /usr/local/lib/libc6..
it never ends. :)

    Alexandre> More than that (and it was my fault to have failed to
    Alexandre> mention that before): libtool will hard-code the
    Alexandre> installation directory of the library into the `libdir'
    Alexandre> variable of the .la script it installs.  Therefore, if
    Alexandre> one moves the library then tries to link with the .la
    Alexandre> file, he loses.  There's also the dlopening issue:
    Alexandre> libltdl (to be released with libtool 1.3) will dlopen a
    Alexandre> library in the directory pointed to by `libdir' too.

I've never understood what the .la scripts are for. Why are they
installed into /usr/lib/, where libraries live? This is kind of
off-the-subject, but they have always confused me, and I delete
them out of any libtool-using library package I maintain.

    Alexandre> In general, I feel that moving libraries around is a
    Alexandre> very bad idea, because it will lead to failure most of
    Alexandre> the times, and that's why I don't feel libtool should
    Alexandre> help people doing that.

With Debian and Red Hat, it's totally the opposite. Moving libraries
around is what leads to upgrades being possible.

    Alexandre> The issue is very complex because we can't think just
    Alexandre> of GNU/Linux with all its bells and whistles, because
    Alexandre> libtool is supposed to present an homogeneous, portable
    Alexandre> interface to creating libraries.

Totally agreed. You are worrying just a bit too much about this,
though -- we don't need to worry about a switch that has to decide
WHEN to disable -rpath, just a switch that understands, "Okay, the
builder knows what he's talking about, no -rpath is fine with me".

Ben

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