Re: shared library from smaller pieces

[Ralf Wildenhues]

Hi Vlad,

* Vlad Skvortsov wrote on Thu, Dec 15, 2005 at 11:59:46PM CET:
> Ralf Wildenhues wrote:
> >* Vlad Skvortsov wrote on Fri, Dec 09, 2005 at 11:46:46PM CET:
> >
> >>Ok, I believe I have to explain more here. My product is deemed to be 
> >>self-contained: no dependencies on external shared libraries, nothing. I 
> >>build all my [C] applications static. However, recently a need has 
> >>arised to write a Perl script and include it into the distribution. This 
> >>script needs some functionality from my core libraries. So I have to 
> >>build a shared module that my Perl script will load and use. I guarantee 
> >>that noone else will link against this shared module; if someone will, 
> >>it's not my problems, since I didn't intend to.
> >>
> >>My application uses third-party library that is [deemed by its author to 
> >>be] built as shared. However, I want all my applications to link 
> >>statically against it and I want my shared module to include its 
> >>contents (so that the end user doesn't have to install this third-party 
> >>shared library).

> >Yes.  The answer is: I don't think this is possible. 
*snipped my misunderstanding*

> Well, yes, I understand that it's not possible if all we have is just a 
> shared library binary. But my case is when I have _sources_ of the 
> libtool-controlled library, not in my tree though. So, I have both .a 
> and .so/.dylib for that. The one thing that is missing here is the 
> ability to make autotools use the right file.

D'oh.  Sorry, I think you explained that well enough but I just didn't
understand it in the right way.

Well, there's a current libtool limitation in that it can't link some
libs statically and some shared.  1.5.22 will fix the `-static' in the
way that only uninstalled libtool libraries will be linked statically
(so if you use no other ones, using that will help you).  You can always
use `-all-static' to get a static executable.  Per-library switches are
still on our TODO list, sorry.

Cheers,
Ralf