The problem with pgk-config

[Bob Friesenhahn]

On Sat, 31 Jul 2010, Ralf Wildenhues wrote:
> I'd rather avoid (3), and I know (2) is going to be quite some work, but
> should be done.  What things go wrong with pkg-config?  (Please adjust
> the Subject: when replying to this, thanks!)

The main problem I find with pgk-config is that it has nothing to do 
with the libraries the linker actually finds.  Instead it is producing 
an incantation based on some other paths (PATH and PKG_CONFIG_PATH). 
This is particularly a problem on a stable system like Solaris 10 
where one wants to use some system-provided libraries, yet use more 
modern libraries from a different path.  This may result in two 
pkg-config directories which contain non-dependent libraries from 
different vintages.  The result is that the wrong libraries may be 
used.

Libtool works at a lower level (more similar to the linker) so that it 
knows the actual libraries which were used.

Regardless, pkg-config only proposes configuration information while 
autoconf tests to make sure that it really works.

Bob
--
Bob Friesenhahn
address@hidden, http://www.simplesystems.org/users/bfriesen/
GraphicsMagick Maintainer,    http://www.GraphicsMagick.org/