R: [Gdal-dev] [ANNOUNCE] gdal debian package at mentors.de bi a n.ne t

[Frank Warmerdam]

Amici Alessandro wrote:
> looks ok to me, i'll test it later. in the mean time here it goes the
> 'install data 0644' patch (+ install-docs for ogr)

Alessandro,

I have briefly reviewed your suggested changes and I think they are OK.

...

> i noted that i end up doing most of the work at home, where i have 
> normal connection, so if your proposal about cvs write access is still
> valid, i think it will make things easier for both of us.

I agree.  Account created.  Please commit and test your patches yourself
against CVS and notify the list when you are happy with them.

> future plans are:
> 	- hack aclocal.m4 to set GDAL_SLIB_SONAME when using gnu binutils
> 	- configure option for building a standard sonamed shared library
> 	  (including file names), when using gnu binutils.
> 
> i played a bit with the gnu libtool, lately. it looks like a powerful 
> tool, if it is really up to what it promises. what's your concerns
> about it? wuold you consider the libtoolification of gdal a worthwile
> project? (apart from a bit of initial makefile panic i don't expect
> it to be too diffcult, but i might be wrong!)

I dislike libtool because:
  o I can't figure out how to debug applications and libraries built with it
    from within Emacs' gud.  I don't know how to make gud invoke gdb with the
    libtool wrapper. So I have to fallback to using gdb from the commandline.

  o All the object gets built twice slowing the compile-link-debug cycle.

  o I frequently run into problems with libtool version problems, and have
    trouble resolving them.

But basically my dislike for libtool is that it does a huge amount of
complicated magic, and I am left not understanding what is going on or
how to fix it when things screw up.  I admire what the libtool maintainers
have accomplished, but it leaves me feeling profoundly out of control of my
own application.  The benefits do not outweigh this cost for me.

Note, I have only used libtool in a couple of projects (PROJ.4 and libgeotiff
I think).  In PROJ.4 I also use automake.  Some of my problems with automake
may also be negatively colouring my opinion of libtool.  I am sure many of
these problems could be resolved if I were to take the time to deeply
understand libtool and how it is supposed to be used, but after a couple of
tries I just don't feel like sucking up that pain anymore.

Best regards,
-- 
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I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
light and sound - activate the windows | http://pobox.com/~warmerdam
and watch the world go round - Rush    | Geospatial Programmer for Rent