gEDA-dev: Re: pcb library/font/etc path mechanism

[Cesar Strauss]

Dan McMahill wrote:

> In the windows world, it is entirely possible, perhaps even probable
> that someone would use a binary installer to install pcb to some
> different location that what may be a compiled in default.
> 
> Here is what I was thinking:
> 
> 1) use argv[0] to figure out where the binary is installed and then look
> for the library and font files relative to that location.
> 

It appears a solution like that is already implemented in GNU gettext
and libiconv. See the following proposal for relocatable packages,
written by the current gettext maintainer, Bruno Haible:

http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-gnulib/2003-03/msg00020.html

The mechanism does appears to be a bit elaborated. New files, new
autoconf macros, but the original source code itself would be nearly
untouched.

I intend to take a closer look in gettext sources. If I understood
correctly, this would allow relocation in a platform-independent way.

Cesar