mcmahill@mtl.mit.edu wrote:

> short version:  libtool on a.out has:
> 
> # Method to check whether dependent libraries are shared objects.
> deplibs_check_method="unknown"
> 
> why unknown?

  I'm not sure.  On i386, -current (ELF) gives me

% /usr/bin/file /usr/pkg/lib/libplugin.so.0.0 
/usr/pkg/lib/libplugin.so.0.0: ELF 32-bit LSB shared object, Intel
80386, version 1, not stripped

  while 1.4.2A (a.out) shows

% /usr/bin/file /usr/pkg/lib/libplugin.so.0.0 
/usr/pkg/lib/libplugin.so.0.0: NetBSD/i386 demand paged shared library
not stripped

  so it should be possible for libtool to determine whether XYZ is, in
fact, a shared library.

> should there actually be a command there or does that not make sense for
> a.out systems?

  I don't know.  The real difference, I think, is that on ELF 'ldd'
works fine for shared libraries, while on a.out, I always get 'XYZ: not
a dynamic executable'.  I don't know if that's relevant for libtool (and
specifically 'deplibs_check_method').  If not, I'd say feel free to fix
deplibs_check_method for a.out.

  Cheers
      ,
   Rene