[dpdk-dev] [PATCH] mk: fix the combined library problems by replacing it with a linker script

Panu Matilainen pmatilai at redhat.com
Thu Nov 26 09:05:19 CET 2015


On 11/25/2015 06:08 PM, Stephen Hemminger wrote:
> On Wed, 25 Nov 2015 10:38:48 +0200
> Panu Matilainen <pmatilai at redhat.com> wrote:
>
>> On 11/25/2015 12:46 AM, Stephen Hemminger wrote:
>>> On Tue, 24 Nov 2015 16:31:17 +0200
>>> Panu Matilainen <pmatilai at redhat.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> The physically linked-together combined library has been an increasing
>>>> source of problems, as was predicted when library and symbol versioning
>>>> was introduced. Replace the complex and fragile construction with a
>>>> simple linker script which achieves the same without all the problems,
>>>> remove the related kludges from eg mlx drivers.
>>>>
>>>> Since creating the linker script is practically zero cost, remove the
>>>> config option and just create it always.
>>>>
>>>> Based on a patch by Sergio Gonzales Monroy, linker script approach
>>>> initially suggested by Neil Horman.
>>>>
>>>> Suggested-by: Sergio Gonzalez Monroy <sergio.gonzalez.monroy at intel.com>
>>>> Suggested-by: Neil Horman <nhorman at tuxdriver.com>
>>>> Signed-off-by: Panu Matilainen <pmatilai at redhat.com>
>>>
>>> But it now means distros have to ship 20 libraries which seems like
>>> a step back.
>>
>> That's how Fedora and RHEL are shipping it already and nobody has so
>> much as noticed anything strange, much less complained about it. 20
>> libraries is but a drop in the ocean on a average distro. But more to
>> the point, distros will prefer 50 working libraries over one that doesn't.
>>
>> The combined library as it is simply is no longer a viable option.
>> Besides just being broken (witness the strange hacks people are coming
>> up with to work around issues in it) its ugly because it basically gives
>> the middle finger to all the effort going into version compatibility,
>> and its also big. Few projects will use every library in DPDK, but with
>> the combined library they're forced to lug the 800 pound gorilla along
>> needlessly.
>>
>> 	- Panu -
>>
>
> Fixing the combined library took less than an hour for us.
>

An hour (and many more in times to come) that I bet you could've used on 
something more interesting than fighting that abomination.

	- Panu -


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