re: HOST_CC, crossgcc, mingw32, again/summarized - Re: confusion with host,build,target

[Guido Draheim]

Es schrieb stefan:
> 
> On Sun, 6 Jan 2002, Guido Draheim wrote:
> 
> > > > >   Thus libtool should set the program compiling the `impgen' program 
> > > > > when
> > > > > creating the import library to a `--build' gcc and should not default 
> > > > > to
> > > > > the `--host' gcc which it in fact does.  This fails of course, because
> > > > > this gcc produces code for mingw32 here and cannot be executed!
> > > > >   I fixed this behaviour setting HOST_CC=gcc which then overrides the
> > > > > setting inside libtool.  I got confused because I had to set HOST_CC 
> > > > > and
> > > > > not BUILD_CC.  Am I misunderstanding something?  Any help or just a
> > > > > clarification is very appreciated.
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > I am just out the door (sat night), please use the following macro until
> > > > we can sort things out for a better way:
> > > >
> > > > http://ac-archive.SF.net/guidod/patch_libtool_to_add_host_cc.html
> > >
> > > This macros look reasonable for me.  Actually I implicitely asked for this
> > > being fixed in libtool itself.
> > >
> > > Thanks for your quick response,
> >
> > My personal judgement - the problem is not in libtool but dlltool - we only
> > need the host_cc setting to compile an impgen program but actually the
> > dlltool should be enabled to examine a dll (via binutils) and build an
> > export table for it - we do already use the crosscompiler to build an
> > implib from it that can be bound to new .exe/.dll programs that make use
> > of a windows dll.
> 
> I see; partly.  It means it would be better to drop the `impgen.c' source
> code from libtool if dlltool could make the work.  Is this correct?
> Then for native build and cross-compiling the problem would be solved.

exactly!

> 
> > The real problem is - go to the binutils list and do all
> > the communications so that "someone who knows binutils and dll format" (!!)
> > will finally make an extension to have an "dlltool -Z" made ready for
> > libtool. It might not be easy to find that someone - so possibly make more
> > communications so that the little impgen.c (hacked)script gets added anyway
> > and therefore gets installed with the next crossgcc-binutils package. If
> > it gets installed with the crossgcc, no need to look for a native compiler
> > when libtool runs...
> > do you volunteer for job ? -> ;-) ... 'cause I don't have the time... :-/
> 
> Maybe the one who hacked this little program is more competent for this?
> On the other hand I could go and ask myself, questioning does not hurt.
> But I would not be able to give advice for improvements, etc.
> 

perhaps not. look back in the libtool-mailarchive to 20.JUN.2001

Olly Betts <olly(at)survex com> wrote:
> The HOST_CC patch was from me, and it worked when applied.  Looks like
> something has changed since and stopped it working.

and a day later I did post to binutils under the subject
"howto let dlltool to get libtool' impgen functionality?"
and hopefully I did summarize the problem area in there,
but there was no response.

The lastest discussion was in october, and on 22.OCT.2001 I got 
an e-mail from  "Gerrit P. Haase" <gp(at)familiehaase de>

> Guten Tag Guido Draheim,
> 
> Am 2001-10-22 um 07:18 schriebst du:
> 
> > I just do not know and I did not take the time to do some
> > communications to get to know the name of someone who
> > could tell me by his profound knowledge of dlls and gnu-ld.
> 
> and:
> 
> > Know a wizard who is equally wise on all sides?
> 
> Ask Chuck Wilson and Robert Collins from the Cygwin folks.
> They have a great interest to get binutils and libtool
> shooting in one (the same) direction.
> 

and note that there are quite some other people on this list who would
love to see the things get sorted out once and for all. It just needs
someone with time enough to exchange the three dozen e-mails it will
take (atleast!) to get things right. Just go ahead and try to get to
the minds of people who have the mana to do it... be sure that a lot
of the people around here will back you if anyone asks on what grounds
your request are built. So far, anyone to whom I've talked said that
it is right to put the impgen.c functionality into dlltool.. where it
rightfully belongs but no one of us has rights enough to modify it. And
be sure that the impgen.c code gets rejected since it does not use
any code from libbfd as it should - it's a working hack and thousands
of people in the world use it, even for production (incl. libsdl.org??)

HTH, cheers,
-- guido                                    http://freespace.sf.net/guidod
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