[CMake] Interresting dependency problem

[Hendrik Sattler]

Am Freitag 28 September 2007 schrieb Andreas Pakulat:
> On 27.09.07 16:07:46, Alan W. Irwin wrote:
> > On 2007-09-27 21:53+0200 Andreas Pakulat wrote:
> > >No it doesn't work properly on win32 - AFAIK. Thats the reason why all
> > >cmake FindXXX modules for KDE4/win32 don't use pkgconfig. I'm not sure
> > >wether it was about the paths in the .pc files or something else, but
> > >fact is that pkconfig is unusable in _plain_ win32 (without msys, which
> > >I think creates problems when using cmake).
> > >
> > >And a link from the pkgconfig website claiming it works properly is not
> > >really a proof ;)
> >
> > I absolutely agree.  :-)
> >
> > Also, I certainly have no positive proof that pkg-config works on windows
> > (of any kind) because I don't use that platform, which is why I quoted
> > the website.  That said, the pkg-config people did make that claim on
> > their website (why claim it if not true?),
>
> Well, because portability is a big plus? Just guessing here, I never
> used pkg-config (why install something of which I've been told by
> long-time-win32 developers that its just broken)

It's open, fix it instead of complaining.

> > and pkg-config is really quite simple
> > (a C programme + glib library) so I would be very surprised if it didn't
> > work for some combination of windows with or without MinGW and with or
> > without MSYS.
>
> Well, it might run and eventually it might even return something when
> you ask it for. Nevertheless there's at least one problem with it: The
> paths are hardcoded into the .pc files, which means
>
> a) an installer for a lib has to change this file during installation -
> its quite usual to install a program into a different location than its
> defaulting to

At least the pkgconfig documentation mentions this case and how it (is 
supposed to) deal with it.

> b) you can't move the lib afterwards without changing the .pc files.

Same case. CMake creates the same problem by using rpath by default, doesn't 
it?

> > So just out of curiosity are you reporting your own first-hand results
> > for the latest version of pkg-config or something that might have been
> > historically true?
>
> I'm reporting 2nd hand information from people that have long-time
> experience with pkg-config. Unfortunately I can't find the thread on the
> kde lists where Christian Ehrlicher pointed out the other issues with
> pkg-config, maybe I'll have a try with it tomorrow...

I only used it with msys so far and it's working, there, using the GLIB dll 
and the provided pre-compiled pkgconfig binary.

HS