All,

Although I'm not new to programming, I am to the world of Linux programming. The subject of compiling against an alternative c-library such as uClibc is troubling me.

Before anyone says "tool chain", "wrappers" etc I've looked at the them but still have some fundamental questions.

What I'm looking for is an overview of how to point the linking process at an entire library such as uClibc. This raises questions such as:

1) How does the linker know which ld-xx to use?
2) How does the linker know which libc-x to use?

I just need to understand the connection between the linker process and the actual library you require to link against.

Is it just a case of setting some flags? What above telling the linker to use an alternative library do the tool chains and the like actually do? Do I really need to use a tool chain if I want to link to an alternative library for the same platform?

If anyone can fill in some of the gaps for me I would really appreciate it

Spencer

"What I'm looking for is an overview of how to point the linking process at an entire library such as uClibc. This raises questions such as:

1) How does the linker know which ld-xx to use?
2) How does the linker know which libc-x to use?

I just need to understand the connection between the linker process and the actual library you require to link against.

Is it just a case of setting some flags? What above telling the linker to use an alternative library do the tool chains and the like actually do? Do I really need to use a tool chain if I want to link to an alternative library for the same platform?"

You specify all of these things on the gcc command line. I am not sure what a tool chain is. If you are talking about a Program Development Environment then most PDEs will generate the gcc command from information you give the PDE. You don't have to use a PDE and I rarely do.

The best online tutorial for gcc is the GNU gcc tutorial. I just tried it and got connection refused. You can use Google to find other gcc tutorials if gcc.gnu.org doesn't come back any time soon.

http://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/

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Steve Stites

Steve,

I've had a look at the site and it's more of a manual than tutorial. Are you able to point me in the right direction with some tips?

Thanks

Spencer

<gcc prefix>/lib/gcc-lib/*/*/specs ( for example /usr/lib/gcc-lib/i486-slackware-linux/3.3.4/specs is where it's at on my system)

in this file (a little ways down, do a search for ld-linux and you'll find it) it has the linker specified

If you set your LDFLAGS or LD_LIBRARY_PATH to point to the new libs before the linker can find glibc it should work fine.