Re: more about the external target headers/libraries issue

[Dan Kegel <dank at kegel dot com>]

Rick Sustek wrote:
> Well, if you have downloaded and installed 3.1.1 or 3.2.1, you will find
> that the missing information is there, in the "info" files.
Handy tip, thanks.

> Within the formal documentation, there is a statement which declares:
> "The GNU C compiler does not come with these files, because (1) they
> are system-specific, and (2) they belong in a C library, not in a
> compiler". Dan's point would seem to argue that the files do belong
> in the GCC package, which would, of course, make our lives easier.
> I would lean toward agreement with this goal.
Dan would argue that if gcc cannot be compiled without glibc,
then gcc should come with an example script showing
exactly how to compile gcc and glibc together.

Bill G., me, and a bunch of other people have all written
our own little versions of such scripts.  It would be
real nice if the gcc team took on the maintenance of
such a script, and shipped it with gcc.  Until that
happens, we'll keep plugging away, trying to make
the 'build a working set of cross-tools' script ourselves.

As it happens, the gcc, glibc, and binutils stuff may all
live in the context of the 'ueberbaum', which supposedly
has a Makefile that knows how to build everything.
Lurk on the gcc/gdb mailing lists and you'll hear it mentioned
now and then.  I've never seen it or looked at it myself.

> However, if the GCC folks wish to stick with the way it is, then I would
> claim
> that a formal package needs to be created by the community, which would
> be considered the prerequisite to utilizing the GCC package in a cross
> mode.
> This hypothetical package would have directories for each supported
> target,
> with submitted header files and/or library source files needed to
> satisfy a
> cross build of the GCC target. This could be a huge time saver!
>
> Where would such a package live? Hey Red Hat!  Got some more disk space?
I think such packages already exist: it's the union of glibc, binutils, and gcc.
All that's missing is the ueber-build directory and/or
the build-it-all script.
- Dan

--
Dan Kegel
Linux User #78045
http://www.kegel.com