From f8040e7f650fe5dd7b53c01ae165b07bce0b8bf7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: William Pitcock Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2014 02:25:01 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] README: update to where we are at in 2014 --- README.md | 25 ++++++++++++++++--------- 1 file changed, 16 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-) diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index 30a4f35..3ef53fd 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -5,23 +5,30 @@ pkgconf provides compiler and linker configuration for development frameworks. ## general summary pkgconf is a program which helps to configure compiler and linker flags for -development frameworks. It is similar to pkg-config, but was written from -scratch in the summer of 2011 to replace pkg-config, which now needs itself to -build itself (or you can set a bunch of environment variables, both are -pretty ugly). +development frameworks. + +It is similar to pkg-config, but was written from scratch in the summer of 2011 +to replace pkg-config, which for a while needed itself to build itself (they have +since included a 'stripped down copy of glib 2.0') Since then we have worked on +improving pkg-config for embedded use. + +## usage Implementations of pkg-config, such as pkgconf, are typically used with the -PKG_CHECK_MODULES autoconf macro. As far as I (nenolod) know, pkgconf is +PKG_CHECK_MODULES autoconf macro. As far as we know, pkgconf is compatible with all known variations of this macro. pkgconf detects at runtime whether or not it was started as 'pkg-config', and if so, attempts to set program options such that its behaviour is similar. In terms of the autoconf macro, it is possible to specify the PKG_CONFIG environment variable, so that you can test pkgconf without overwriting your -pkg-config binary. (hint: export PKG_CONFIG=/usr/bin/pkgconf) However, -if you do this, it will be running in native mode, so you may have some very -strange results as the dependency graph is compiled differently in native -mode. +pkg-config binary. Some other build systems may also respect the PKG_CONFIG +environment variable. + +To set the enviornment variable on the bourne shell and clones (i.e. bash), you +can run: + + $ export PKG_CONFIG=/usr/bin/pkgconf ## technical design (why pkgconf is better for distros)