Re: Failed install - libgen.so doesn't exist

Tom Lane wrote:
> Bruce Momjian <pgman@candle.pha.pa.us> writes:
> > Tom Lane wrote:
> >> I'm just wondering how many of those AC_CHECK_LIB calls are needed only
> >> on platforms that no one uses anymore ...
>
> > I didn't want to mention that, but one big problem we have is that we
> > have no way to know what platforms are still using which configure and
> > pgport functions.  It is very possible that 25% of what we have isn't
> > needed anymore, but we have no way of knowing which part.
>
> Agreed, but pgport functions that aren't actually selected for use don't
> pose any hazards.  AC_CHECK_LIB is an ongoing hazard for exactly the
> reason the OP presents, namely that it will suck in any random library
> it can find that happens to match by name.  It's especially bad that
> almost all of the tests are coded like
>     AC_CHECK_LIB(gen,      main)
> which means they don't even try to determine whether the library
> is actually the one intended.
>
> Now that we have the buildfarm I think that experimentation with this
> sort of thing is a lot less risky than it used to be.  I think we should
> be working towards a project policy that AC_CHECK_LIB calls shalt not
> use "main", but must name some symbol exported by the expected library.
> If we can't find out what symbols the library is expected to provide,
> it's time to dike it out.

Agreed.  Anyone want to do the legwork?

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