Re: PROBLEM: Can't compile Gtk+-1.3.4

[Otto Wyss <otto wyss bluewin ch>]

> > > successfully compiling Glib-1.3.4 and after finally successfully
> > > compiling Pango-0.15 I can't configure Gtk+-1.3.4. When I use
[...]
> Did you look at the config.log errors? Did you look at /etc/ld.so.conf?
> 
> ld.so.conf is just a list of directories where you've installed stuff,
> in this case if you didn't pass a prefix to configure, add
> /usr/local/lib to ld.so.conf and run ldconfig to reload ld.so.conf.
> 
I did look at ld.so.conf but I wasn't sure how to change it. Adding
/usr/local/lib and running ldconfig solved the problem. Could it be
possible to print this library path in the error text. So I might have
been able to fix it myself.

[...]
> Wouldn't it be easier to put /usr/local/bin in your PATH? ;-)
> 
> We were sitting around the office trying to figure out why people move
> files all over the place and make symlinks left and right instead of
> using PATH, PKG_CONFIG_PATH, LD_LIBRARY_PATH, ACLOCAL_FLAGS, and all
> these other labor-saving environment variables...
> 
I can tell you why I moved/copied them instead of using environment
variables. Moving or linking a file around is _so_ much simpler than
working with variables. With variables one has always to consider if
appending or replacing is correct and if which part to replace. And
variables have to be store anywhere (i.e. profile?, .bashrc?, ...?),
always in the hope that it is the correct location. What happens if I
use profile now and .bashrc the next time? And what if an install
process uses another location? I usually leave the handling of
environment variables to the install processes or experts because I
don't feel comfortable to do it manually. The second reason was, there
was already a glib.pc file there, so I figured out that's the way it
should be.

Environment variables have just one big advantage, they use one
directory reference instead of several files.

> If you use the env variables, you won't get a file system cluttered
> with unmaintainable gunk, and files will be properly replaced when you
> install a new version.
> 
I this case (pkg-config) it would be best if I could just put a symlink
of the directory into .../pkgconfig but I don't know if pkg-config scans
linked sub directories. Updating the symlink is equivalent to updating a
variable in case of a new release, except there is no discussion where
to store the symlink.

> My glib/pango/gtk is installed in my home directory, with no
> modification of the filesystem whatsoever outside of my own homedir.
> LD_LIBRARY_PATH avoids even the ld.so.conf mess.
> 
My glib/pango/gtk is installed into the default locations in the hope
I'm not plagued with any special or undocumented actions I have to
perform. Also I use a non critical development workstation at home ;-) .

O. Wyss