1 @c This is for making the `INSTALL' file for the distribution.
2 @c Makeinfo ignores it when processing the file from the include.
7 @node Installation, Maintenance, Library Summary, Top
8 @c %MENU% How to install the GNU C Library
9 @appendix Installing @theglibc{}
11 Before you do anything else, you should read the FAQ at
12 @url{http://sourceware.org/glibc/wiki/FAQ}. It answers common
13 questions and describes problems you may experience with compilation
16 Features can be added to @theglibc{} via @dfn{add-on} bundles. These are
17 separate tar files, which you unpack into the top level of the source
18 tree. Then you give @code{configure} the @samp{--enable-add-ons} option
19 to activate them, and they will be compiled into the library.
21 You will need recent versions of several GNU tools: definitely GCC and
22 GNU Make, and possibly others. @xref{Tools for Compilation}, below.
25 * Configuring and compiling:: How to compile and test GNU libc.
26 * Running make install:: How to install it once you've got it
28 * Tools for Compilation:: You'll need these first.
29 * Linux:: Specific advice for GNU/Linux systems.
30 * Reporting Bugs:: So they'll get fixed.
33 @node Configuring and compiling
34 @appendixsec Configuring and compiling @theglibc{}
38 @Theglibc{} cannot be compiled in the source directory. You must build
39 it in a separate build directory. For example, if you have unpacked
40 the @glibcadj{} sources in @file{/src/gnu/glibc-@var{version}},
42 @file{/src/gnu/glibc-build} to put the object files in. This allows
43 removing the whole build directory in case an error occurs, which is
44 the safest way to get a fresh start and should always be done.
46 From your object directory, run the shell script @file{configure} located
47 at the top level of the source tree. In the scenario above, you'd type
50 $ ../glibc-@var{version}/configure @var{args@dots{}}
53 Please note that even though you're building in a separate build
54 directory, the compilation may need to create or modify files and
55 directories in the source directory.
58 @code{configure} takes many options, but the only one that is usually
59 mandatory is @samp{--prefix}. This option tells @code{configure}
60 where you want @theglibc{} installed. This defaults to @file{/usr/local},
61 but the normal setting to install as the standard system library is
62 @samp{--prefix=/usr} for @gnulinuxsystems{} and @samp{--prefix=} (an
63 empty prefix) for @gnuhurdsystems{}.
65 It may also be useful to set the @var{CC} and @var{CFLAGS} variables in
66 the environment when running @code{configure}. @var{CC} selects the C
67 compiler that will be used, and @var{CFLAGS} sets optimization options
70 The following list describes all of the available options for
74 @item --prefix=@var{directory}
75 Install machine-independent data files in subdirectories of
76 @file{@var{directory}}. The default is to install in @file{/usr/local}.
78 @item --exec-prefix=@var{directory}
79 Install the library and other machine-dependent files in subdirectories
80 of @file{@var{directory}}. The default is to the @samp{--prefix}
81 directory if that option is specified, or @file{/usr/local} otherwise.
83 @item --with-headers=@var{directory}
84 Look for kernel header files in @var{directory}, not
85 @file{/usr/include}. @Theglibc{} needs information from the kernel's header
86 files describing the interface to the kernel. @Theglibc{} will normally
87 look in @file{/usr/include} for them,
88 but if you specify this option, it will look in @var{DIRECTORY} instead.
90 This option is primarily of use on a system where the headers in
91 @file{/usr/include} come from an older version of @theglibc{}. Conflicts can
92 occasionally happen in this case. You can also use this option if you want to
93 compile @theglibc{} with a newer set of kernel headers than the ones found in
96 @item --enable-add-ons[=@var{list}]
97 Specify add-on packages to include in the build. If this option is
98 specified with no list, it enables all the add-on packages it finds in
99 the main source directory; this is the default behavior. You may
100 specify an explicit list of add-ons to use in @var{list}, separated by
101 spaces or commas (if you use spaces, remember to quote them from the
102 shell). Each add-on in @var{list} can be an absolute directory name
103 or can be a directory name relative to the main source directory, or
104 relative to the build directory (that is, the current working directory).
105 For example, @samp{--enable-add-ons=nptl,../glibc-libidn-@var{version}}.
107 @item --enable-kernel=@var{version}
108 This option is currently only useful on @gnulinuxsystems{}. The
109 @var{version} parameter should have the form X.Y.Z and describes the
110 smallest version of the Linux kernel the generated library is expected
111 to support. The higher the @var{version} number is, the less
112 compatibility code is added, and the faster the code gets.
114 @item --with-binutils=@var{directory}
115 Use the binutils (assembler and linker) in @file{@var{directory}}, not
116 the ones the C compiler would default to. You can use this option if
117 the default binutils on your system cannot deal with all the constructs
118 in @theglibc{}. In that case, @code{configure} will detect the
119 problem and suppress these constructs, so that the library will still be
120 usable, but functionality may be lost---for example, you can't build a
121 shared libc with old binutils.
124 Use this option if your computer lacks hardware floating-point support
125 and your operating system does not emulate an FPU.
127 @c disable static doesn't work currently
128 @c @item --disable-static
129 @c Don't build static libraries. Static libraries aren't that useful these
130 @c days, but we recommend you build them in case you need them.
132 @item --disable-shared
133 Don't build shared libraries even if it is possible. Not all systems
134 support shared libraries; you need ELF support and (currently) the GNU
137 @item --disable-profile
138 Don't build libraries with profiling information. You may want to use
139 this option if you don't plan to do profiling.
141 @item --disable-versioning
142 Don't compile the shared libraries with symbol version information.
143 Doing this will make the resulting library incompatible with old
144 binaries, so it's not recommended.
146 @item --enable-static-nss
147 Compile static versions of the NSS (Name Service Switch) libraries.
148 This is not recommended because it defeats the purpose of NSS; a program
149 linked statically with the NSS libraries cannot be dynamically
150 reconfigured to use a different name database.
153 By default the C library is built with support for thread-local storage
154 if the used tools support it. By using @samp{--without-tls} this can be
155 prevented though there generally is no reason since it creates
156 compatibility problems.
158 @item --enable-hardcoded-path-in-tests
159 By default, dynamic tests are linked to run with the installed C library.
160 This option hardcodes the newly built C library path in dynamic tests
161 so that they can be invoked directly.
163 @item --enable-lock-elision=yes
164 Enable lock elision for pthread mutexes by default.
168 @item --enable-pt_chown
169 The file @file{pt_chown} is a helper binary for @code{grantpt}
170 (@pxref{Allocation, Pseudo-Terminals}) that is installed setuid root to
171 fix up pseudo-terminal ownership. It is not built by default because
172 systems using the Linux kernel are commonly built with the @code{devpts}
173 filesystem enabled and mounted at @file{/dev/pts}, which manages
174 pseudo-terminal ownership automatically. By using
175 @samp{--enable-pt_chown}, you may build @file{pt_chown} and install it
176 setuid and owned by @code{root}. The use of @file{pt_chown} introduces
177 additional security risks to the system and you should enable it only if
178 you understand and accept those risks.
180 @item --build=@var{build-system}
181 @itemx --host=@var{host-system}
182 These options are for cross-compiling. If you specify both options and
183 @var{build-system} is different from @var{host-system}, @code{configure}
184 will prepare to cross-compile @theglibc{} from @var{build-system} to be used
185 on @var{host-system}. You'll probably need the @samp{--with-headers}
186 option too, and you may have to override @var{configure}'s selection of
187 the compiler and/or binutils.
189 If you only specify @samp{--host}, @code{configure} will prepare for a
190 native compile but use what you specify instead of guessing what your
191 system is. This is most useful to change the CPU submodel. For example,
192 if @code{configure} guesses your machine as @code{i686-pc-linux-gnu} but
193 you want to compile a library for 586es, give
194 @samp{--host=i586-pc-linux-gnu} or just @samp{--host=i586-linux} and add
195 the appropriate compiler flags (@samp{-mcpu=i586} will do the trick) to
198 If you specify just @samp{--build}, @code{configure} will get confused.
200 @item --with-pkgversion=@var{version}
201 Specify a description, possibly including a build number or build
202 date, of the binaries being built, to be included in
203 @option{--version} output from programs installed with @theglibc{}.
204 For example, @option{--with-pkgversion='FooBar GNU/Linux glibc build
205 123'}. The default value is @samp{GNU libc}.
207 @item --with-bugurl=@var{url}
208 Specify the URL that users should visit if they wish to report a bug,
209 to be included in @option{--help} output from programs installed with
210 @theglibc{}. The default value refers to the main bug-reporting
211 information for @theglibc{}.
214 To build the library and related programs, type @code{make}. This will
215 produce a lot of output, some of which may look like errors from
216 @code{make} but isn't. Look for error messages from @code{make}
217 containing @samp{***}. Those indicate that something is seriously wrong.
219 The compilation process can take a long time, depending on the
220 configuration and the speed of your machine. Some complex modules may
221 take a very long time to compile, as much as several minutes on slower
222 machines. Do not panic if the compiler appears to hang.
224 If you want to run a parallel make, simply pass the @samp{-j} option
225 with an appropriate numeric parameter to @code{make}. You need a recent
226 GNU @code{make} version, though.
228 To build and run test programs which exercise some of the library
229 facilities, type @code{make check}. If it does not complete
230 successfully, do not use the built library, and report a bug after
231 verifying that the problem is not already known. @xref{Reporting Bugs},
232 for instructions on reporting bugs. Note that some of the tests assume
233 they are not being run by @code{root}. We recommend you compile and
234 test @theglibc{} as an unprivileged user.
236 Before reporting bugs make sure there is no problem with your system.
237 The tests (and later installation) use some pre-existing files of the
238 system such as @file{/etc/passwd}, @file{/etc/nsswitch.conf} and others.
239 These files must all contain correct and sensible content.
241 To format the @cite{GNU C Library Reference Manual} for printing, type
242 @w{@code{make dvi}}. You need a working @TeX{} installation to do
243 this. The distribution builds the on-line formatted version of the
244 manual, as Info files, as part of the build process. You can build
245 them manually with @w{@code{make info}}.
247 The library has a number of special-purpose configuration parameters
248 which you can find in @file{Makeconfig}. These can be overwritten with
249 the file @file{configparms}. To change them, create a
250 @file{configparms} in your build directory and add values as appropriate
251 for your system. The file is included and parsed by @code{make} and has
252 to follow the conventions for makefiles.
254 It is easy to configure @theglibc{} for cross-compilation by
255 setting a few variables in @file{configparms}. Set @code{CC} to the
256 cross-compiler for the target you configured the library for; it is
257 important to use this same @code{CC} value when running
258 @code{configure}, like this: @samp{CC=@var{target}-gcc configure
259 @var{target}}. Set @code{BUILD_CC} to the compiler to use for programs
260 run on the build system as part of compiling the library. You may need to
261 set @code{AR} to cross-compiling versions of @code{ar}
262 if the native tools are not configured to work with
263 object files for the target you configured for. When cross-compiling
264 @theglibc{}, it may be tested using @samp{make check
265 test-wrapper="@var{srcdir}/scripts/cross-test-ssh.sh @var{hostname}"},
266 where @var{srcdir} is the absolute directory name for the main source
267 directory and @var{hostname} is the host name of a system that can run
268 the newly built binaries of @theglibc{}. The source and build
269 directories must be visible at the same locations on both the build
270 system and @var{hostname}.
272 In general, when testing @theglibc{}, @samp{test-wrapper} may be set
273 to the name and arguments of any program to run newly built binaries.
274 This program must preserve the arguments to the binary being run, its
275 working directory, all environment variables set as part of testing
276 and the standard input, output and error file descriptors. If
277 @samp{@var{test-wrapper} env} will not work to run a program with
278 environment variables set, then @samp{test-wrapper-env} must be set to
279 a program that runs a newly built program with environment variable
280 assignments in effect, those assignments being specified as
281 @samp{@var{var}=@var{value}} before the name of the program to be run.
284 @node Running make install
285 @appendixsec Installing the C Library
288 To install the library and its header files, and the Info files of the
289 manual, type @code{env LANGUAGE=C LC_ALL=C make install}. This will
290 build things, if necessary, before installing them; however, you should
291 still compile everything first. If you are installing @theglibc{} as your
292 primary C library, we recommend that you shut the system down to
293 single-user mode first, and reboot afterward. This minimizes the risk
294 of breaking things when the library changes out from underneath.
296 @samp{make install} will do the entire job of upgrading from a
297 previous installation of @theglibc{} version 2.x. There may sometimes
299 left behind from the previous installation, but those are generally
300 harmless. If you want to avoid leaving headers behind you can do
301 things in the following order.
303 You must first build the library (@samp{make}), optionally check it
304 (@samp{make check}), switch the include directories and then install
305 (@samp{make install}). The steps must be done in this order. Not moving
306 the directory before install will result in an unusable mixture of header
307 files from both libraries, but configuring, building, and checking the
308 library requires the ability to compile and run programs against the old
309 library. The new @file{/usr/include}, after switching the include
310 directories and before installing the library should contain the Linux
311 headers, but nothing else. If you do this, you will need to restore
312 any headers from libraries other than @theglibc{} yourself after installing the
315 You can install @theglibc{} somewhere other than where you configured it to go
316 by setting the @code{install_root} variable on the command line for
317 @samp{make install}. The value of this variable is prepended to all the
318 paths for installation. This is useful when setting up a chroot
319 environment or preparing a binary distribution. The directory should be
320 specified with an absolute file name.
322 @Theglibc{} includes a daemon called @code{nscd}, which you
323 may or may not want to run. @code{nscd} caches name service lookups; it
324 can dramatically improve performance with NIS+, and may help with DNS as
327 One auxiliary program, @file{/usr/libexec/pt_chown}, is installed setuid
328 @code{root}. This program is invoked by the @code{grantpt} function; it
329 sets the permissions on a pseudoterminal so it can be used by the
330 calling process. This means programs like @code{xterm} and
331 @code{screen} do not have to be setuid to get a pty. (There may be
332 other reasons why they need privileges.) If you are using a
333 Linux kernel with the @code{devptsfs} or @code{devfs} filesystems
334 providing pty slaves, you don't need this program; otherwise you do.
335 The source for @file{pt_chown} is in @file{login/programs/pt_chown.c}.
337 After installation you might want to configure the timezone and locale
338 installation of your system. @Theglibc{} comes with a locale
339 database which gets configured with @code{localedef}. For example, to
340 set up a German locale with name @code{de_DE}, simply issue the command
341 @samp{localedef -i de_DE -f ISO-8859-1 de_DE}. To configure all locales
342 that are supported by @theglibc{}, you can issue from your build directory the
343 command @samp{make localedata/install-locales}.
345 To configure the locally used timezone, set the @code{TZ} environment
346 variable. The script @code{tzselect} helps you to select the right value.
347 As an example, for Germany, @code{tzselect} would tell you to use
348 @samp{TZ='Europe/Berlin'}. For a system wide installation (the given
349 paths are for an installation with @samp{--prefix=/usr}), link the
350 timezone file which is in @file{/usr/share/zoneinfo} to the file
351 @file{/etc/localtime}. For Germany, you might execute @samp{ln -s
352 /usr/share/zoneinfo/Europe/Berlin /etc/localtime}.
354 @node Tools for Compilation
355 @appendixsec Recommended Tools for Compilation
356 @cindex installation tools
357 @cindex tools, for installing library
359 We recommend installing the following GNU tools before attempting to
364 GNU @code{make} 3.79 or newer
366 You need the latest version of GNU @code{make}. Modifying @theglibc{}
367 to work with other @code{make} programs would be so difficult that
368 we recommend you port GNU @code{make} instead. @strong{Really.} We
369 recommend GNU @code{make} version 3.79. All earlier versions have severe
370 bugs or lack features.
373 GCC 4.4 or newer, GCC 4.6 recommended
375 GCC 4.4 or higher is required; as of this writing, GCC 4.6 is the
376 compiler we advise to use to build @theglibc{}.
378 You can use whatever compiler you like to compile programs that use
381 Check the FAQ for any special compiler issues on particular platforms.
384 GNU @code{binutils} 2.20 or later
386 You must use GNU @code{binutils} (as and ld) to build @theglibc{}.
387 No other assembler or linker has the necessary functionality at the
391 GNU @code{texinfo} 4.5 or later
393 To correctly translate and install the Texinfo documentation you need
394 this version of the @code{texinfo} package. Earlier versions do not
395 understand all the tags used in the document, and the installation
396 mechanism for the info files is not present or works differently.
399 GNU @code{awk} 3.1.2, or higher
401 @code{awk} is used in several places to generate files.
402 Some @code{gawk} extensions are used, including the @code{asorti}
403 function, which was introduced in version 3.1.2 of @code{gawk}.
408 Perl is not required, but it is used if present to test the
409 installation. We may decide to use it elsewhere in the future.
412 GNU @code{sed} 3.02 or newer
414 @code{Sed} is used in several places to generate files. Most scripts work
415 with any version of @code{sed}. The known exception is the script
416 @code{po2test.sed} in the @code{intl} subdirectory which is used to
417 generate @code{msgs.h} for the test suite. This script works correctly
418 only with GNU @code{sed} 3.02. If you like to run the test suite, you
419 should definitely upgrade @code{sed}.
424 If you change any of the @file{configure.in} files you will also need
428 GNU @code{autoconf} 2.53 or higher
432 and if you change any of the message translation files you will need
436 GNU @code{gettext} 0.10.36 or later
440 You may also need these packages if you upgrade your source tree using
441 patches, although we try to avoid this.
444 @appendixsec Specific advice for @gnulinuxsystems{}
445 @cindex kernel header files
447 If you are installing @theglibc{} on @gnulinuxsystems{}, you need to have
448 the header files from a 2.6.19.1 or newer kernel around for reference.
449 These headers must be installed using @samp{make headers_install}; the
450 headers present in the kernel source directory are not suitable for
451 direct use by @theglibc{}. You do not need to use that kernel, just have
452 its headers installed where @theglibc{} can access them, referred to here as
453 @var{install-directory}. The easiest way to do this is to unpack it
454 in a directory such as @file{/usr/src/linux-@var{version}}. In that
455 directory, run @samp{make headers_install
456 INSTALL_HDR_PATH=@var{install-directory}}. Finally, configure @theglibc{}
457 with the option @samp{--with-headers=@var{install-directory}/include}.
458 Use the most recent kernel you can get your hands on. (If you are
459 cross-compiling @theglibc{}, you need to specify
460 @samp{ARCH=@var{architecture}} in the @samp{make headers_install}
461 command, where @var{architecture} is the architecture name used by the
462 Linux kernel, such as @samp{x86} or @samp{powerpc}.)
464 After installing @theglibc{}, you may need to remove or rename
465 directories such as @file{/usr/include/linux} and
466 @file{/usr/include/asm}, and replace them with copies of directories
467 such as @file{linux} and @file{asm} from
468 @file{@var{install-directory}/include}. All directories present in
469 @file{@var{install-directory}/include} should be copied, except that
470 @theglibc{} provides its own version of @file{/usr/include/scsi}; the
471 files provided by the kernel should be copied without replacing those
472 provided by @theglibc{}. The @file{linux}, @file{asm} and
473 @file{asm-generic} directories are required to compile programs using
474 @theglibc{}; the other directories describe interfaces to the kernel but
475 are not required if not compiling programs using those interfaces.
476 You do not need to copy kernel headers if you did not specify an
477 alternate kernel header source using @samp{--with-headers}.
479 The Filesystem Hierarchy Standard for @gnulinuxsystems{} expects some
480 components of the @glibcadj{} installation to be in
481 @file{/lib} and some in @file{/usr/lib}. This is handled automatically
482 if you configure @theglibc{} with @samp{--prefix=/usr}. If you set some other
483 prefix or allow it to default to @file{/usr/local}, then all the
484 components are installed there.
487 @appendixsec Reporting Bugs
488 @cindex reporting bugs
489 @cindex bugs, reporting
491 There are probably bugs in @theglibc{}. There are certainly
492 errors and omissions in this manual. If you report them, they will get
493 fixed. If you don't, no one will ever know about them and they will
494 remain unfixed for all eternity, if not longer.
496 It is a good idea to verify that the problem has not already been
497 reported. Bugs are documented in two places: The file @file{BUGS}
498 describes a number of well known bugs and the central @glibcadj{}
499 bug tracking system has a
501 @url{http://sourceware.org/bugzilla/}. The WWW
502 interface gives you access to open and closed reports. A closed report
503 normally includes a patch or a hint on solving the problem.
505 To report a bug, first you must find it. With any luck, this will be the
506 hard part. Once you've found a bug, make sure it's really a bug. A
507 good way to do this is to see if @theglibc{} behaves the same way
508 some other C library does. If so, probably you are wrong and the
509 libraries are right (but not necessarily). If not, one of the libraries
510 is probably wrong. It might not be @theglibc{}. Many historical
511 Unix C libraries permit things that we don't, such as closing a file
514 If you think you have found some way in which @theglibc{} does not
515 conform to the ISO and POSIX standards (@pxref{Standards and
516 Portability}), that is definitely a bug. Report it!
518 Once you're sure you've found a bug, try to narrow it down to the
519 smallest test case that reproduces the problem. In the case of a C
520 library, you really only need to narrow it down to one library
521 function call, if possible. This should not be too difficult.
523 The final step when you have a simple test case is to report the bug.
524 Do this at @value{REPORT_BUGS_TO}.
526 If you are not sure how a function should behave, and this manual
527 doesn't tell you, that's a bug in the manual. Report that too! If the
528 function's behavior disagrees with the manual, then either the library
529 or the manual has a bug, so report the disagreement. If you find any
530 errors or omissions in this manual, please report them to the
531 bug database. If you refer to specific
532 sections of the manual, please include the section names for easier