Replace libelf/elfutils with elftoolchain

[dslm4515]

Replacing libelf/elfutils with elftoolchain will eliminate the need for musl-obstack

Binutils could be moved from /usr to /opt/gnu as secondary binutils
OR
Create a script to switch between elftoolchain and binutils

[firasuke]

May I ask why is this an enhancement?

[dslm4515]

musl-obstack requires autotools to build (no configure script, just configue.ac)

But of course, elftoolchain requires libarchive ... so i guess it just trading musl-obstack for libarchive

[firasuke]

Doesn't the kernel also require musl-obstack? Or is that another dependency on libelf?

[dslm4515]

I noticed that Chimera Linux does not have a musl-obstack package unlike Void and Linux. Per Alpine package repo, only libelf/elfutils [and other packages not built in MLFS] depends on musl-obstack. I lost my old notes when I first developed MLFS, as I'm sure i added musl-obstack for a reason [elfutils/libelf]

I am in the middle of building CMLFS with elftoolchain. I'll see if its an issue once I build the kernel

[firasuke]

Okay, good luck! Please keep us updated.

[dslm4515]

I just realized compiling the Linux kernel (mainstream) might be tricky... i.e. objcopy will not be from binutils, but from elf toolchain. I will be using Chimera Linux's cports repo for guidance

[dslm4515]

When compiling, there are lots of warnings but kernel compiles:

warning: objtool: gelf_update_symshndx: Invalid argument
warning: objtool: elf_update_symbol move

[dslm4515]

And.... I built CMLFS without binutils and GCC, except when I used mussel to build stage0 clang!

[firasuke]

So were you able to replace libelf from elfutils and musl-obstack by using elftoolchain alone?

[dslm4515]

Yes. I was able to build CMLFS without libelf (elfutils) and musl-obstack... and without binutils & GCC for the final system.

Only drawback is that elftoolchain Requires bmake and lsb-tools (or a lsb-release script). Perhaps with enough patches, elftoolchain may build with GNU's make and without lsb-tools

[firasuke]

Interesting, so we lost some dependencies, but gained two more.

Thanks for the update!

[dslm4515]

I also realized nothing depends on argp-standalone, according to Alpine Linux package database. This is false: v4l-utils requires it.
I am halfway done with a 2nd CMLFS build with elftoolchain... and came across this package. I will skip it to see if anything requires it. I think it was elfutils that did. Maybe.

In my previous CMLFS build, no package requires musl-obstack ...even up to when building mesa, wayland, and a DE.

Also, @firasuke you can now add CMLFS to projects that use mussel :P ... as master branch now does.

[firasuke]

I also realized nothing depends on argp-standalone, according to Alpine Linux package database. I am halfway done with a 2nd CMLFS build with elftoolchain... and came across this package. I will skip it to see if anything requires it. I think it was elfutils that did. Maybe.

I am using libuargp instead of argp-standalone, and I think only libelf from elfutils depends on it. Same goes for musl-obstack, only elfutils depends on it.

Also, @firasuke you can now add CMLFS to projects that use mussel :P ... as master branch now does.

Already did, 2 weeks ago :)