libtool: Integrating libtool

1 
1 5 Integrating libtool with your package
1 ***************************************
1 
1 This chapter describes how to integrate libtool with your packages so
1 that your users can install hassle-free shared libraries.
1 
1    There are several ways that Libtool may be integrated in your
1 package, described in the following sections.  Typically, the Libtool
1 macro files as well as 'ltmain.sh' are copied into your package using
1 'libtoolize' and 'aclocal' after setting up the 'configure.ac' and
1 toplevel 'Makefile.am', then 'autoconf' adds the needed tests to the
1 'configure' script.  These individual steps are often automated with
1 'autoreconf'.
1 
1    Here is a diagram showing how such a typical Libtool configuration
1 works when preparing a package for distribution, assuming that 'm4' has
1 been chosen as location for additional Autoconf macros, and 'build-aux'
11 as location for auxiliary build tools (⇒The Autoconf Manual
 (autoconf)Input.):
1 
1      libtool.m4 -----.                .--> aclocal.m4 -----.
1      ltoptions.m4 ---+  .-> aclocal* -+                    +--> autoconf*
1      ltversion.m4 ---+--+             `--> [copy in m4/] --+       |
1      ltsugar.m4 -----+  |                    ^             |       \/
1      lt~obsolete.m4 -+  +-> libtoolize* -----'             |    configure
1      [ltdl.m4] ------+  |                                  |
1                         `----------------------------------'
1 
1      ltmain.sh -----------> libtoolize* -> [copy in build-aux/]
1 
1    During configuration, the 'libtool' script is generated either
1 through 'config.status' or 'config.lt':
1 
1                   .--> config.status* --.
1      configure* --+                     +--> libtool
1                   `--> [config.lt*] ----'      ^
1                                                |
1      ltmain.sh --------------------------------'
1 
1    At 'make' run time, 'libtool' is then invoked as needed as a wrapper
1 around compilers, linkers, install and cleanup programs.
1 
1    There are alternatives choices to several parts of the setup; for
1 example, the Libtool macro files can either be copied or symlinked into
1 the package, or copied into 'aclocal.m4'.  As another example, an
1 external, pre-configured 'libtool' script may be used, by-passing most
1 of the tests and package-specific setup for Libtool.
1 

Menu

1 
· Autoconf macros             Autoconf macros exported by libtool.
· Makefile rules              Writing 'Makefile' rules for libtool.
· Using Automake              Automatically supporting libtool.
· Configuring                 Configuring libtool for a host system.
· Distributing                What files to distribute with your package.
· Static-only libraries       Sometimes shared libraries are just a pain.
1