Bug#1095039: debian-policy: Development files: Allow using linker scripts instead of symlinks

[Aurelien Jarno <aurel32@debian.org>]

Hi Bill,

On 2025-02-02 23:52, Bill Allombert wrote:
> On Sun, Feb 02, 2025 at 11:40:45PM +0100, Aurelien Jarno wrote:
> > Package: debian-policy
> > Version: 4.7.0.2
> > Severity: normal
> > Tags: patch
> > 
> > Dear Policy maintainers,
> > 
> > The section 8.4, Development files, mentions that the development
> > package should contain a symlink for the associated shared library
> > without a version number. In practice a linker script could be used
> > instead, this is for instance the case of libncurses.so, libncursesw.so,
> > libc.so, and also libm.so for architectures which support the vector
> > math library.
> > 
> > Here is a proposal to update the existing paragraph: 
> > 
> >  The development package should contain either a symlink or a linker
> >  script for the associated shared library without a version number. For
> >  example, the libgdbm-dev package should include a symlink from
> >  /usr/lib/libgdbm.so to libgdbm.so.3.0.0, or a linker script that
> >  achieves the same effect. This symlink or linker script is needed by
> >  the linker (ld) when compiling packages, as it will only look for
> >  libgdbm.so when compiling dynamically.
> 
> Hello Aurelien,
> 
> Maybe a footnote explaining when a linker script could be needed would be
> useful ?

Usually this is decided at the upstream level and not at the debian
level, anyway if you want to add a footnote, here is a proposal:

 Linker scripts offer more flexible linking strategies, like
 conditionally linking with an additional library, or falling back to a
 static library for some symbols.

Regards
Aurelien


-- 
Aurelien Jarno                          GPG: 4096R/1DDD8C9B
aurelien@aurel32.net                     http://aurel32.net