Using a recent (17 March) libtool snapshot on SunOS 4.1.4 with its native tools, I'm finding that ranlib doesn't seem to be run when building a static library. The relevant part of the generated libtool script comes out as, # Commands used to build and install an old-style archive. RANLIB="ranlib" old_archive_cmds="\$AR cru \$oldlib\$oldobjs\$old_deplibs" old_postinstall_cmds="chmod 644 \$oldlib" old_postuninstall_cmds="" I wasn't able to find in ltconfig where ranlib would be inserted into old_archive_cmds, and I wonder where that should happen, or if ranlib comes in by some other mechanism. (Please CC followups, as I'm not subscribed to this list at the moment.)