GNU Libtool

For version 2.4.2, 17 October 2011

Gordon Matzigkeit
Alexandre Oliva
Thomas Tanner
Gary V. Vaughan

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".

This file documents GNU Libtool 2.4.2

Shared library support for GNU

This file documents GNU Libtool, a script that allows package developers to provide generic shared library support. This edition documents version 2.4.2.

See section Reporting bugs, for information on how to report problems with GNU Libtool.

— The Detailed Node Listing — Introduction
1 Introduction		What the heck is libtool?
2 The libtool paradigm		How libtool’s view of libraries is different.
3 Using libtool		Example of using libtool to build libraries.
4 Invoking `libtool`		Running the `libtool` script.
5 Integrating libtool with your package		Using libtool in your own packages.
6 Using libtool with other languages		Using libtool without a C compiler.
7 Library interface versions		Using library interface versions.
8 Tips for interface design		Tips for library interface design.
9 Inter-library dependencies		Libraries that depend on other libraries.
10 Dlopened modules		`dlopen`ing libtool-created libraries.
11 Using libltdl		Libtool’s portable `dlopen` wrapper library.
12 Libtool’s trace interface
13 Frequently Asked Questions about libtool		Frequently Asked Questions
14 Troubleshooting		When libtool doesn’t work as advertised.
15 Maintenance notes for libtool		Information used by the libtool maintainer.
Appendix A GNU Free Documentation License		License for this manual.
Combined Index		Full index.
1.1 Motivation for writing libtool		Why does GNU need a libtool?
1.2 Implementation issues		The problems that need to be addressed.
1.3 Other implementations		How other people have solved these issues.
1.4 A postmortem analysis of other implementations		Learning from past difficulties.
Using libtool
3.1 Creating object files		Compiling object files for libraries.
3.2 Linking libraries		Creating libraries from object files.
3.3 Linking executables		Linking object files against libtool libraries.
3.4 Debugging executables		Running GDB on libtool-generated programs.
3.5 Installing libraries		Making libraries available to users.
3.6 Installing executables		Making programs available to users.
3.7 Linking static libraries		When shared libraries are not wanted.
Linking executables
3.3.1 Wrapper executables for uninstalled programs		Wrapper executables for some platforms.
Invoking `libtool`
4.1 Compile mode		Creating library object files.
4.2 Link mode		Generating executables and libraries.
4.3 Execute mode		Debugging libtool-generated programs.
4.4 Install mode		Making libraries and executables public.
4.5 Finish mode		Completing a library installation.
4.6 Uninstall mode		Removing installed executables and libraries.
4.7 Clean mode		Removing uninstalled executables and libraries.
Integrating libtool with your package
5.1 Autoconf macros exported by libtool
5.2 Writing ‘`Makefile`’ rules for libtool
5.3 Using Automake with libtool		Automatically supporting libtool.
5.4 Configuring libtool		Configuring libtool for a host system.
5.5 Including libtool in your package		What files to distribute with your package.
5.6 Static-only libraries		Sometimes shared libraries are just a pain.
Configuring libtool
5.4.1 The `LT_INIT` macro		Configuring `libtool` in ‘`configure.ac`’.
5.4.2 Platform-specific configuration notes		Platform-specific notes for configuration.
Including libtool in your package
5.5.1 Invoking `libtoolize`		`libtoolize` command line options.
5.5.2 Autoconf and `LTLIBOBJS`		Autoconf automates LTLIBOBJS generation.
Using libtool with other languages
6.1 Writing libraries for C++
6.2 Tags
Library interface versions
7.1 What are library interfaces?
7.2 Libtool’s versioning system
7.3 Updating library version information		Changing version information before releases.
7.4 Managing release information		Breaking binary compatibility for aesthetics.
Tips for interface design
8.1 Writing C header files		How to write portable include files.
Dlopened modules
10.1 Building modules to dlopen		Creating dlopenable objects and libraries.
10.2 Dlpreopening		Dlopening that works on static platforms.
10.3 Linking with dlopened modules		Using dlopenable modules in libraries.
10.4 Finding the correct name to dlopen		Choosing the right file to `dlopen`.
10.5 Unresolved dlopen issues		Unresolved problems that need your attention.
Using libltdl
11.1 How to use libltdl in your programs
11.2 Creating modules that can be `dlopen`ed
11.3 Using libltdl in a multi threaded environment		Registering callbacks for multi-thread safety.
11.4 Data associated with loaded modules		Associating data with loaded modules.
11.5 How to create and register new module loaders		Creating user defined module loaders.
11.6 How to distribute libltdl with your package
Frequently Asked Questions about libtool
13.1 Why does libtool strip link flags when creating a library?		Dropped flags when creating a library
Troubleshooting
14.1 The libtool test suite		Libtool’s self-tests.
14.2 Reporting bugs		How to report problems with libtool.
The libtool test suite
14.1.1 Description of test suite		The contents of the old test suite.
14.1.2 When tests fail		What to do when a test fails.
Maintenance notes for libtool
15.1 Porting libtool to new systems		How to port libtool to new systems.
15.2 Tested platforms		When libtool was last tested.
15.3 Platform quirks		Information about different library systems.
15.4 `libtool` script contents		Configuration information that libtool uses.
15.5 Cheap tricks		Making libtool maintainership easier.
Porting libtool to new systems
15.1.1 Information sources		Where to find relevant documentation
15.1.2 Porting inter-library dependencies support		Implementation details explained
Platform quirks
15.3.1 References		Finding more information.
15.3.2 Compilers		Creating object files from source files.
15.3.3 Reloadable objects		Binding object files together.
15.3.4 Multiple dependencies		Removing duplicate dependent libraries.
15.3.5 Archivers		Programs that create static archives.
15.3.6 Cross compiling		Issues that arise when cross compiling.
15.3.7 File name conversion		Converting file names between platforms.
15.3.8 Windows DLLs		Windows header defines.
File name conversion
15.3.7.1 File Name Conversion Failure		What happens when file name conversion fails
15.3.7.2 Native MinGW File Name Conversion		MSYS file name conversion idiosyncrasies
15.3.7.3 Cygwin/Windows File Name Conversion		Using `cygpath` to convert Cygwin file names
15.3.7.4 Unix/Windows File Name Conversion		Using Wine to convert Unix paths
15.3.7.5 LT_CYGPATH		Invoking `cygpath` from other environments
15.3.7.6 Cygwin to MinGW Cross		Other notes concerning MinGW cross

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