[tex-live] Build binaries with static libraries

[Vladimir Lomov]

** Karl Berry [2017-03-29 23:24:11 +0000]:

> Hi Vladimir,
> 
>     Is it possible to build binaries for TeX Live 2017 with static
>     libraries?
> 
> We already build everything possible statically, and on oldish systems,
> precisely to minimize these problems. xindy and asy are inherently
> problematic. Just be glad TeX works (if it does).

Yes, it works fine. Actually I checked all binaries in directory
"/usr/local/opt/texlive/2016/bin/x86_64-linux" (I installed TeX Live
into "/usr/local/opt/texlive") and only these two programs have missing
libraries.

> readline and ncurses are fundamental libraries. Arch surely provides
> them?

Yes, they provide following versions of the libraries:
  readline 7.0.003-1
  ncurses 6.0+20170128-1

readline was updated in November 2016, ncurses was updated to ver. 6.0
in May 2015 but I don't now when was so version changed.

> If Arch chooses to break every existing binary by bumping the
> version number (if that's what happened), we can't help that.

IMO, they don't do nothing special except to build packages (that's the
credo) but provides most fresh packages and don't provide old libraries
but that the rule of the distro (someone should take care of old
libraries, if it is not the packager).

> Maybe they provide their own asy, at least.

Yes, Archlinux provides asymptote package and 'asy' is in "/usr/bin".
But as I installed TeX Live into "/usr/local/opt/texlive" I put the path
to TeX Live binaries "/usr/local/opt/texlive/2016/bin/x86_64-linux" in
the beginning of the PATH, so I would somehow overrule PATH to run
asymptote from distro package (when I was needed to run asymptote I used
full path: "/usr/bin/asy" but that was inconvenient; I could imagine to
make a shell alias or shell function with full path to "/usr/bin/asy"
but that won't work, for example, in vim and emacs which I use to edit
files).

I tried to remove TeX Live package with only x86_64 asymptote binaries:
"asymptote.x86_64-linux" but it is always restored after running

  tlmgr update --self --all

which I use to update TeX Live packages. I didn't remove the whole
package 'asymptote' because I also installed binaries for win32 platform
and share the TeX Live path to a Windows host.

> Regarding asy, the author tells us that readline and GL are important
> parts of the functionality, so we don't want to remove them, and it's
> impractical to compile all of X (which is what it would amount to).
> Most of the other deps are induced from GL.
> 
> Regarding xindy.run (aka clisp), it seems there is a nearly-undocumented
> configure option, --with-no-termcap-ncurses. I'll try it.
> 
> Thanks,
> Karl

If it were possible to build asymptote vs static libraries it would be a good
solution for me or even if it were possible to remove only
"asymptote.x86_64-linux" package without it restoring after

  tlmgr update --self --all

that would be enough.

I'll try to make some workaround.

---
WBR, Vladimir Lomov

-- 
My calculator is my shepherd, I shall not want
It maketh me accurate to ten significant figures,
	and it leadeth me in scientific notation to 99 digits.
It restoreth my square roots and guideth me along paths of floating
	decimal points for the sake of precision.
Yea, tho I walk through the valley of surprise quizzes,
	I will fear no prof, for my calculator is there to hearten me.
It prepareth a log table to comfort me, it prepareth an
	arc sin for me in the presence of my teachers.
It annoints my homework with correct solutions, my interpolations are
	over.
Surely, both precision and accuracy shall follow me all the days of my
	life, and I shall dwell in the house of Texas instruments forever.