Control: reassign -1 dpkg Josh Triplett: > Package: debhelper > Version: 13.5.2 > Severity: wishlist > File: /usr/bin/dh_shlibdeps > X-Debbugs-Cc: j...@joshtriplett.org > > When a program or library declares a weak symbol, that typically > indicates that it's prepared to do without the symbol. >
Hi Josh, Most of what you request in this bug happens (or requires support) in the underlying dpkg tool, dpkg-shlibdeps. I am therefore reassigning it to dpkg. Quoting the remaining text in full (below) for the sake of the dpkg maintainer. > However, dh_shlibdeps takes weak symbols into account when determining > library dependencies, and will produce a strict Depends on a library > even if only needed for a weak symbol. Some software (e.g. the Rust > standard library) works around this by calling dlsym instead, but that > introduces other potential issues, and weak symbols are *much* simpler > and easier to work with. > > I'd like to propose changing this behavior, either with an option, or as > part of a future debhelper compatibility level (which could make that > option the default). I'd propose instead that dh_shlibdeps could > separate out dependencies from weak symbols, and put them in a separate > substitution field, which packagers could then choose to put in either > Depends or Recommends or Suggests or nowhere, as appropriate. > > The net effect of this would be to broaden shared library dependencies, > making packages easier to install and backport, and making it easier for > upstreams to make use of weak symbols without introducing compatibility > issues. > > - Josh Triplett > ~Niels
