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

[<skip pobox com>]

    Otto> I did look at ld.so.conf but I wasn't sure how to change
    Otto> it. Adding /usr/local/lib and running ldconfig solved the
    Otto> problem. Could it be possible to print this library path in the
    Otto> error text. So I might have been able to fix it myself.

When install actions install .so or .a files that they execute "ldconfig -n
directory", which emits a verbose message about what happened.  Here's an
example from installing pango:

    PATH="$PATH:/sbin" ldconfig -n /usr/local/lib/pango/modules
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    Libraries have been installed in:
       /usr/local/lib/pango/modules

    If you ever happen to want to link against installed libraries
    in a given directory, LIBDIR, you must either use libtool, and
    specify the full pathname of the library, or use the `-LLIBDIR'
    flag during linking and do at least one of the following:
       - add LIBDIR to the `LD_LIBRARY_PATH' environment variable
	 during execution
       - add LIBDIR to the `LD_RUN_PATH' environment variable
	 during linking
       - use the `-Wl,--rpath -Wl,LIBDIR' linker flag
       - have your system administrator add LIBDIR to `/etc/ld.so.conf'

    See any operating system documentation about shared libraries for
    more information, such as the ld(1) and ld.so(8) manual pages.
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------

That's about the most the install process can reasonably do on your behalf.
Many people (myself included) install stuff in /usr/local as a non-root
user.  Even if I did install as root I wouldn't want the install process
mucking with /etc/ld.so.conf and running ldconfig on my behalf.

-- 
Skip Montanaro (skip pobox com)
(847)971-7098