question

[Gerald I. Evenden]

>Date: Thu, 10 Jun 1993 11:40:50 -0400
>From: Xin Zhuang <zhuang at access.digex.net>
>To: grassp-list at max.cecer.army.mil
>Subject: question
>
>What is /usr/bin/ranlib?
>
>
>--Xin
>zhaung at access.digex.com

Program ranlib is an artifact of UCB Unix which basically puts a
record of information of contents of an archive libary.  It must
be executed after updating object modules in the library.  For
example:

	ar -r libxxx.a file1.o file2.o
	ranlib libxxx.a

Failure to do so will cause the linker to choke.

USL Unix does not use ranlib.

In generalize makefiles one often sees the test for the existance
of /bin/ranlib or /usr/bin/ranlib in a conditional for its execution
after makeing a library.

Gerald (Jerry) I. Evenden   Internet: gie at charon.er.usgs.gov
voice: (508)563-6766          Postal: P.O. Box 1027
  fax: (508)457-2310                  N.Falmouth, MA 02556-1027