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

[Neil Horman]

On Wed, Nov 25, 2015 at 08:08:37AM -0800, 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.
How did you fix the versioning issue?

Neil