[GRASS-dev] Integrate XDR lib into GRASS?

[Patrice Dumas]

On Wed, Mar 21, 2012 at 04:24:11PM +0100, Markus Neteler wrote:
> On Wed, Mar 21, 2012 at 3:18 PM, Patrice Dumas <pertusus at free.fr> wrote:
> > On Wed, Mar 21, 2012 at 02:42:27PM +0100, Markus Neteler wrote:
> ...
> >> Since it is only 4 files (or perhaps less used), why not incorporating these
> >> files into the GRASS source code?
> >
> > Maybe it would be overkill, but gnulib is designed for such portability
> > issues, maybe grass could use that more generally?
> >
> > http://www.gnu.org/software/gnulib/
> >
> > I checked that there is some xdr support (from glibc):
> > http://www.gnu.org/software/gnulib/manual/html_node/Glibc-rpc_002fxdr_002eh.html#Glibc-rpc_002fxdr_002eh
> >
> > There is an entry cost, though, and it integrates better when automake
> > is used too.  Also the fact that grass requires an old autoconf may be
> > troublesome.
> 
> Unfortunately it will not help:
> http://www.gnu.org/software/gnulib/manual/html_node/xdrmem_005fcreate.html#xdrmem_005fcreate
> -> Portability problems not fixed by Gnulib:
>     This function is missing on some platforms: Cygwin 1.7.4, mingw, BeOS.
> 
> ... and MingW is one of the relevant platforms...

Indeed, it seems in fact that none of xdr* are really implemented, so
that the platforms where the function is missing are merely listed...
But if R and grass both need it, that's a hint that it may make sense to
add them, even though you don't end up using it!

I'll certainly go ask on the gnulib mailing list whether there is
specific issue with xdr and gauge the interest there.

-- 
Pat