On Fri, 23 Jan 1998, Marcelo E. Magallon wrote: > On Fri, 23 Jan 1998 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > IMO, shared libraries should use `-lsomelib' for each library they directly > > depend on, not just `-lc'. For example, the LessTif shared library depends > > directly on Xt, Xext, X11 (and through them on other X libs). I have linked > > it "-lXt -lXext -lX11 -lc". Thus, ldd can show proper dependencies on all > > libraries it depends on: > > I'm don't think this is a good idea. I thought so, but after I saw what > happens when you do things this way... whoops, not good. > > Let's say you have a library that provides an interface to several graphic > formats (png, tiff, jpeg), and you write a program where you use only the > png related functions, and NEVER touch tiff or jpeg. If the library is > built in the way you (and I, until a few days ago) propose you end up with > a program linked against the libraries proving the functions for png, tiff > and jpeg. If those libraries are not in use before the program runs, they > are loaded, and the memory requierements for your program increases, a > lot. The GNU linker is not smart enough to drop the libraries that are not > used at all, or so I've been told here before. > > Second side effect: debian packages for libraries end up depending on a > lot of stuff they DON'T depend on. It's the programs that depend on many > libraries, but not the libraries themselves. > > > Please change the text to state that shared libraries should include > > dependency information for all the libraries that they depend on, not > > only libc. > > Of course, other (more experienced) developers may go for this... or I may > be wrong about the way the linker works.
It would be good if someone more experienced than I am could comment on Marcelo's arguments against linking shared libraries with `-l'. If his arguments are valid (I really can't tell) then we'll have to drop this release goal and the policy proposal. _any_ input is appreciated! Thanks, Chris -- Christian Schwarz Do you know [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], Debian GNU/Linux? [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Visit PGP-fp: 8F 61 EB 6D CF 23 CA D7 34 05 14 5C C8 DC 22 BA http://www.debian.org http://fatman.mathematik.tu-muenchen.de/~schwarz/