Changeset b3c16f12

Timestamp:

09/19/2022 05:47:19 AM (19 months ago)

Author:

Xi Ruoyao <xry111@…>

Branches:

11.3, 12.0, 12.1, kea, ken/TL2024, ken/inkscape-core-mods, ken/tuningfonts, lazarus, lxqt, plabs/newcss, plabs/python-mods, python3.11, qt5new, rahul/power-profiles-daemon, renodr/vulkan-addition, trunk, xry111/llvm18, xry111/xf86-video-removal

Children:

3c3e0ffb

Parents:

7027897

Message:

la-files: some reword

• libtool is usually internally shipped and system libtool is not used. Or we can simply patch system libtool to stop installing .la files...
• Add a paragraph about static library. Prevent anyone from thinking "oh I need static libraries and I'll keep those .la files".
• Mention that .la file may mistakenly include library names or paths not valid after installation.
• Move a </literal> into the correct location.

File:

• introduction/important/la-files.xml (modified) (3 diffs)

introduction/important/la-files.xml

@@ -25 +25 @@
     <para>
 
-      In LFS we installed a package, libtool, that is used by many packages to
+      In LFS and BLFS, many packages use a internally shipped libtool copy to
       build on a variety of Unix platforms.  This includes platforms such as
       AIX, Solaris, IRIX, HP-UX, and Cygwin as well as Linux.  The origins of
@@ -40 +40 @@
       url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executable_and_Linkable_Format">
       Executable and Linkable Format (ELF)</ulink> for executables and
-      libraries, information needed to complete the task is embedded in the
-      files.  At run time the program loader can query the appropriate files
-      and properly load and execute the program.
+      dynamic libraries, information needed to complete the task is embedded
+      in the files.  Both the linker and the program loader can query the
+      appropriate files and properly link or execute the program.
 
     </para>
 
     <para>
+      Static libraries are rarely used in LFS and BLFS.  And, nowadays most
+      packages store the information needed for linking against a static
+      library into a .pc file, instead of relying on libtool.
+      A <command>pkg-config --static --libs</command> command will output
+      the sufficient flags for the linker to link against a static library
+      without any libtool magic.
+    </para>
 
-       The problem is that libtool usually creates one or more text files for
-       package libraries called libtool archives.  These small files have a
-       ".la" extension and contain information that is similar to that embedded
-       in the libraries.  When building a package that uses libtool, the
-       process automatically looks for these files.  If a package is updated
-       and no longer uses the .la file, then the build process can break.
-
+    <para>
+      The problem is that libtool usually creates one or more text files for
+      package libraries called libtool archives.  These small files have a
+      ".la" extension and contain information that is similar to that embedded
+      in the libraries or pkg-config files.  When building a package that
+      uses libtool, the process automatically looks for these files.
+      Sometimes a .la file can contains the name or path of a static library
+      used during build but not installed, then the build process will break
+      because the .la file refers to something nonexistent on the system.
+      Similarly, if a package is updated and no longer uses the .la file,
+      then the build process can break with the old .la files.
     </para>
 
@@ -135 +146 @@
     done
   done
-done
+done</literal>
 
 EOF
 
-chmod +x /usr/sbin/remove-la-files.sh</literal></userinput></screen>
+chmod +x /usr/sbin/remove-la-files.sh</userinput></screen>
 
     <para condition="html" role="usernotes">