--export-dynamic linker flag may be unnecessary

[Alex Valavanis]

Follow-up report to bug #707205 <Inkscape fails to build with gcc 4.6>

Inkscape is compiled with the --export-dynamic linker flag. For several years, this flag was incorrectly passed as a **compiler** option, rather than a linker option, and was ignored by GCC.[1] Inkscape appears to have worked correctly on linux throughout this period, implying that the flag is not actually needed.

Since r10071, this flag is passed explicitly to the GNU linker rather than to the compiler. However, it is possible that it is not needed at all. A discussion on the matter hasn't yielded any responses, possibly implying that no one is aware of a reason to keep the flag?[2]

It may be a good idea to try removing the flag from trunk and look out for any consequences.

[1] http://gcc.gnu.org/gcc-4.6/changes.html
[2] http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.graphics.inkscape.devel/36020/focus=36358

[su_v (suv-lp)]

Setting status to 'Medium' for now - please adjust if you don't agree.

[Emil Karlson (jekarlson)]

Gentoo did drop the --export-dynamic in 0.48.1-r1.

https://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=362639

Bugs filed after that change (if I entered the search to bugzilla correctly).

https://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?list_id=279445&short_desc=inkscape&resolution=---&chfieldto=Now&query_format=advanced&chfield=%5BBug%20creation%5D&chfieldfrom=2011-04-28&short_desc_type=allwordssubstr

[Alex Valavanis (valavanisalex)]

OK, I decided to go for it. Committed to trunk in r10439. Seems to build just fine for me with GCC 4.6... but we knew that already ;)

It's a very easy change to revert if anyone finds a reason why this flag was ever used.