GNU bug report logs - #30402
ldconfig confusion

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From: help-debbugs <at> gnu.org (GNU bug Tracking System)
To: Reuben Thomas <rrt <at> sc3d.org>
Subject: bug#30402: closed (Re: bug#30402: ldconfig confusion)
Date: Fri, 16 May 2025 16:29:02 +0000

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Your bug report

#30402: ldconfig confusion

which was filed against the libtool package, has been closed.

The explanation is attached below, along with your original report.
If you require more details, please reply to 30402 <at> debbugs.gnu.org.

-- 
30402: https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=30402
GNU Bug Tracking System
Contact help-debbugs <at> gnu.org with problems

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From: Ileana Dumitrescu <ileanadumitrescu95 <at> gmail.com>
To: 30402-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Cc: Reuben Thomas <rrt <at> sc3d.org>
Subject: Re: bug#30402: ldconfig confusion
Date: Fri, 16 May 2025 19:28:34 +0300

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A documentation patch has been applied to the development branch [1].

[1] 
https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/libtool.git/commit/?h=development&id=ad964ee1f5382075b195313d969fb0fe6d83c8e9

-- 
Ileana Dumitrescu

GPG Public Key: FA26 CA78 4BE1 8892 7F22 B99F 6570 EA01 146F 7354

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From: Reuben Thomas <rrt <at> sc3d.org>
To: bug-libtool <at> gnu.org
Subject: ldconfig confusion
Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2018 13:10:43 +0000

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I just noticed that on my GNU/Linux system (and on stock Ubuntu 14.04,
which is where I first encountered this), I need to run

ldconfig

after installing shared libraries built with libtool. I was confused at
first, because libtool itself runs

ldconfig -n $(libdir)

But I guess because this does not update the cache, it doesn't make the
library available.

I hadn't noticed this before because normally when I'm building code on my
own system, I install it in my home directory, with a suitable setting of
LD_LIBRARY_PATH; no ldconfig call is needed.

The libtool manual says:

  7. The install 'Makefile' target should warn the package installer to
     set the proper environment variables ('LD_LIBRARY_PATH' or
     equivalent), or run 'ldconfig'.

But libtool does not warn me that I (may) need to run ldconfig.

In 1997, commit 7f9b4e50 for libtool version 0.6b, the way of running
ldconfig was changed from running without "-n" to running with "-n". The
ChangeLog entry (I think it is for the same change, though it occurs months
later in commit 41ced2149):

+       * ltconfig.in (finish_cmds): Change back to using `ldconfig -n'.
+       This makes Linux behave like other systems, which is more in line
+       with what libtool needs.

I'm not sure what it means by "what libtool needs" here, but perhaps 20
years later it's worth reconsidering this (and simply removing the -n flag
on Linux again)? Or, if it's not possible, at least warn the user that it
may be necessary to run ldconfig.

I'm using libtool version 2.4.6, but I can't see that anything has changed
in current git in this respect.​​

-- 
https://rrt.sc3d.org

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