[pkg-fso-maint] shared library in binary-package?

[Gabor Gombas]

On Mon, Sep 07, 2009 at 02:12:52PM +0800, Paul Wise wrote:

> Sounds like upstream should be persuaded to move the shared library
> code into the daemon since there is no reason for it to be in a
> library.

That won't work if upstream wants to support OSes other than Linux. My
memory is getting hazy but I had to use the same technique in the past
because not all OSes are capable of letting plugins resolve symbols from
the main binary, at least not without extra complications. So there are
two options:

- design a complicated plugin interface that contains function pointers
  for every function in the main program you want to use in a plugin, or

- implement the service as a library, and let the daemon and the plugins
  all link to this library.

The second method results in much cleaner code. The first method is
preferred if you expect to have 3rd party modules since (when done
right) it makes it easier to maintain module ABI stability.

Gabor

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     MTA SZTAKI Computer and Automation Research Institute
                Hungarian Academy of Sciences
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