Bug#43464: incorrect detection of non-existing Xinerama library

[gweber at nanolab.usf.br]

Package: kdevelop
Version: 2.1RC2 (using KDE 3.0.1 )
Severity: normal
Installed from:    compiled sources
Compiler:          gcc version 2.95.3 20010315 (release)
OS:                Linux (i686) release 2.4.18-2cl
OS/Compiler notes: 

It appears that the method for checking the existence of the Xinerama library is not efficient. According to the code

AC_TRY_LINK([#include <X11/Xlib.h>
#include <X11/extensions/Xinerama.h>],

found in acinclude.m4, it seems that it  checks for the presence of Xinerama.h file to determine the presence of the Xinerama library. Because of this, linking may fail due to the absence of the Xinerama library in some distros. In the current Conectiva Linux Distribution Xlib.h and Xinerama.h and the Xinerama library are kept in different packages which are not necessarily installed together. This causes the kdevelop linking process to fail because Xinerama library was incorrectly detected. Please see: http://bugzilla.conectiva.com.br/show_bug.cgi?id=5648


Although it is the distro's job to provide include file and library with correct dependencies, it does reveal a rather inefficient way of detecting the presence of a library. I would suggest trying to detect the library file itself rather that the include file, or even better, trying to detect both.

This problem can be easily reproduced by removing the library file without removing the include files.

I hope this is of some help, 

best wishes

Gerald Weber
	

(Submitted via bugs.kde.org)
(Called from KBugReport dialog)


(Complete bug history is available at http://bugs.kde.org/db/43/43464.html)