[Octave-patch-tracker] [patch #8308] Adds --minimal-dependencies flag to mkoctfile for more portable mex/oct files

[Michael C. Grant]

URL:
  <http://savannah.gnu.org/patch/?8308>

                 Summary: Adds --minimal-dependencies flag to mkoctfile for
more portable mex/oct files
                 Project: GNU Octave
            Submitted by: mcgrant
            Submitted on: Wed 05 Feb 2014 11:00:45 PM GMT
                Category: None
                Priority: 5 - Normal
                  Status: None
                 Privacy: Public
             Assigned to: None
        Originator Email: 
             Open/Closed: Open
         Discussion Lock: Any

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Details:

Currently, mkoctfile links mex/oct files to every external dependency that
Octave is built with. Strictly speaking, most if not all of these dependencies
will be unnecessary for many mex files; and linking to them may make the
resulting binary non-portable. (And see the bug report I've filed where
mkoctfile is failing because it forgets to include a library path to *X11*
libraries; how many mex/oct files need X11?)

I have created a "--minimal-dependencies" option that, when used, causes
mkoctfile to link *only* to liboctave and libinterp. If the user wishes to
link to other libraries, it will be his/her responsibility. This is actually
the default behavior with Matlab---even if you want to use the built-in BLAS
or LAPACK you have to add the -lblas and -llapack flags yourself.

I've built and tested 36 mex files with this option engaged for CVX, including
code that externally links to the Mac's BLAS. Adopting this approach, even as
an option if not the default, should make it easier for people to build and
distribute Octave mex/oct files in binary form.

I'm not wedded to the long option name by the way.





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File Attachments:


-------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed 05 Feb 2014 11:00:45 PM GMT  Name: mkoctfile.diff  Size: 3kB   By:
mcgrant

<http://savannah.gnu.org/patch/download.php?file_id=30465>

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