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Re: Should -dev packages providing .pc files depend on pkg-config?



On Fri, Apr 18, 2008 at 02:09:40PM -0500, Manoj Srivastava wrote:
>         I would say they are making it very inconvenient, but still not
>  forcing you. Push comes to shove, you can still build depend on a
>  specific version, and use an explicit -L.

That is correct, of course.  But if you're using a versioned depends
just because you're unwilling to use what the library packager considers
the appropriate way to link, your package deserves a bug IMO. ;-)

>         Yes, it means you have to track where upstream puts stuff, and
>  manually upgrade. Yes, it is more prone to error. Yes, using pkg-config
>  is _convenient_. Yews, it is probably advisable to use pkg-config. But
>  not mandatory.

If Debian's library maintainer says that this is the only way to link
the library, then IMO it is in fact mandatory.  Note that I can't think
of many practical situations where a libarary maintainer should be
allowed to say such a thing IMO. :-)

>         I still think if your ./debian/rules calls a program, and that
>  is not in Build-essential; it is your responsibility to arrange for it
>  to be available using a build dependency.

Yes, on that we agree, we only seem to have an academic disagreement
about concepts[1]. :-)

Thanks,
Bas

[1] Previously, I hadn't made up my mind, and I was open to the
    possibility of needing pkg-config as a Build-Depends in the -dev
    package.  I have now decided that it doesn't belong there (except
    when it is called by a script from that package).

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