GNU bug report logs - #17840
[PATCH] libtool: Use 'file' instead of '/usr/bin/file' on GNU systems.

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From: ludo <at> gnu.org (Ludovic Courtès)
To: Bob Friesenhahn <bfriesen <at> simple.dallas.tx.us>
Cc: mhw <at> netris.org, 17840 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: bug#17840: [PATCH] libtool: Use 'file' instead of '/usr/bin/file' on GNU systems.
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2014 21:34:06 +0200

Bob Friesenhahn <bfriesen <at> simple.dallas.tx.us> skribis:

> On Tue, 24 Jun 2014, Ludovic Courtès wrote:
>>
>>> The reason for the hard-coded path is because there are a number of
>>> different 'file' programs and libtool expects particular output from
>>> the 'file' program that it uses.  If the 'file' encountered via PATH
>>> is not the same as the common one available as ‘/usr/bin/file’ on GNU
>>> systems, then there would be a problem.
>>
>> Well, the systems I was referring to are GNU systems too.  ;-)
>>
>> Do you remember what other ‘file’ programs could interfere?  Debian has
>> only one ‘file’ program, for instance:
>> <https://packages.debian.org/search?searchon=contents&keywords=file&mode=exactfilename&suite=stable&arch=any>.
>
> This is the web page for the most popular and common 'file'
> command. It is not a GNU program:
>
> 	http://darwinsys.com/file/

Right.  I was asking about hypothetical unrelated ‘file’ commands that
would justify hard-coding /usr/bin/file.

Do we know of any?

Otherwise it’s no different from cat, touch, grep, etc.

Ludo’.

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