On Mon, 2007-05-21 at 20:47 -0700, Toshio Kuratomi wrote: > I've written a draft of changes to the static library guidelines:: > http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/PackagingDrafts/StaticLibraryChanges > > There are three pieces which can be voted on separately or together > depending on how controversial they are: > 1) Separate static library inclusion from static library linkage and > make static library inclusion less strict. > 2) Change how to package static libraries when the package does not > include dynamic libraries (per Ralf's note to the list) > 3) Incorporate mschwendt's note about *.la files directly into the > guidelines instead of as a footnote. > > Comments welcome. +1 +1 +1 One comment interspersed below, also I'd like so see another addition: "Development libraries" (libraries not being used at runtime) must not be packaged in /%{_lib}. If a package needs "runtime libs in /%{_lib} (Normally lib*.so.* being used by applications which shall be run at times when /usr might not be available, typically apps being used at bootup), the corresponding development libraries (Normally: lib*.so and *.a) should be packaged into %{_libdir} > == Exclusion of Static Libraries == > Packages including libraries should exclude static libs as far as > possible (eg by configuring with ''--disable-static''). Static > libraries should only be included in exceptional circumstances. > Applications linking against libraries should as far as possible link > against shared libraries not static versions. > > Libtool archives, ''foo.la'' files, should not be included. Packages > using libtool will install these by default even if you configure with > ''--disable-static'', so they may need to be removed before packaging. > Due to bugs in older versions of libtool or bugs in programs that use > it, there are times when it is not always possible to remove *.la files > without modifying the program. In most cases it is fairly easy to work > with upstream to fix these issues. If a Fedora release had been shipped with lib*.la's they must not be removed during this Fedora release's life-time. > === Packaging Static Libraries === > * In general, packagers are strongly encouraged not to ship static libs > unless a compelling reason exists. > > * We want to be able to track which packages are using static libraries > (so we can find which packages need to be rebuilt if a security flaw in > a static library is fixed, for instance.) > * When a package provides both dynamic and static libraries the static > libraries must be placed in a ''*-static'' subpackage. Separating the > static libs from the other development files in ''*-devel'' allow us to > track this usage by checking which packages Build''''''Require the > ''*-static'' package. > * When a package only provides static libraries you can place all the > files in the ''*-devel'' subpackage. When doing this you also have to > have a virtual Provide for the static package: > {{{ > %package devel > Provides: foo-static = %{version}-%{release} > }}} > This way other packages which will link against a dynamic library when > your package starts providing one can {{{BuildRequire: foo-devel}}} and > packages which explicitly need to link against the static version can > {{{BuildRequire: foo-static}}} > > === Staticly Linking Executables === > * Static linkage is a special exception and should be decided on a > case-by-case basis. The packager must provide rationale for linking > statically, including precedences where available, to FESCO for > approval. Ralf -- Fedora-packaging mailing list Fedora-packaging@xxxxxxxxxx https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-packaging
