Re: checking for libraries that link but do not run

[Mike Frysinger]

On Monday 05 October 2009 15:21:10 Ben Pfaff wrote:
> Gnulib uses AC_RUN_IFELSE in many places.  I suspect that most
> programs that use Gnulib will fall afoul of these problems too.

gnulib isnt really a relevant example.  the vast majority of gnulib is testing 
either the system C library or the operating system, neither of which require 
any libraries at all (since the default toolchain already provides them).  
plus, their examples are searching for specific/known bugs in various 
implementations -- they arent doing sanity checks that the library in question 
is "available" and "usable".  spurious running of code by configure scripts is 
the bane of anyone doing cross-system builds and really should be avoided 
unless truly necessary.

your original issue (people linking against libraries but then failing to 
properly configure their system such that the ldso can find them at runtime) 
sounds like pure PEBKAC to me.  i'd personally write a FAQ and tell users to 
RTFF instead of bloating the autotool code to cater to such misbehavior.
-mike

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