Re: cross-compiling Debian packages
+++ peter.kourzanov@xs4all.nl [06-03-16 14:56 +0100]:
> > managable as long as you stick with autoconf -based software, but you'll
> > go nuts with the more esoteric build systems, like the one of apache.
> > Even with autoconfed apps, things like gtk and pango are not easy to
> > crosscompile.
>
> The fact that they do not cross-compile cleanly is a sign that they
> are written using wrong assumptions, such as CC=gcc or
> -lc=libc.so.6. Should we not try to fix this at the source, i.e. in
> the packages themselves? This would help BTW not only in
> cross-compiling but also when the toolchains is upgraded.
In general yes. I think it would be really valuable to fix all such problems
at source. But there is a lot of stuff which doesn't cross compile due to
test-programs built and run at build-time and tests which need to be run on
the target not the buildhost. I don't think you can fix this for everything
without deciding a 'debian way' to resolve these problems. (e.g building
build-arch test, not target-arch test, vs. running target-arch test under
emulation - I think you have to pick one or the other?) For build-time
file-based tests, are we going to have a 'staging' area like OE to run
target tests against, or some other mechanism? (dpkg-cross env vars)).
Others have a better idea of the details than I...
> > the applications not notice that they have been crosscompiled. This i
> > what Nokia is using too ;)
>
> Again, this feels wrong. You don't remove complexity of cross-building
> by adding more complexity on top.
All the wide-ranging solutions that work so far do (OE, scratchbox). I would
like to agree with your thesis that a cleaner solution is possible, but I'm
not actually sure it is true.
Wookey
--
Aleph One Ltd, Bottisham, CAMBRIDGE, CB5 9BA, UK Tel +44 (0) 1223 811679
work: http://www.aleph1.co.uk/ play: http://www.chaos.org.uk/~wookey/
Reply to: