Check for dependencies

Forum: Apps
Topic: Check for dependencies
started by: Juanito

Posted by Juanito on Mar. 12 2007,04:03

Is there a way to check what libraries (and other files) an exectutable depends upon apart from trial and error?

The reason I ask is that I have made several extensions from Debian stable that contain many packages and I am not at all sure that all of the libraries (or other files) in the packages are required.

In the case of bluez-utils, I tried compiling from binaries but the result is even larger (admittedly for a more recent version) than the Debian stable package version.

Posted by mikshaw on Mar. 12 2007,04:11

ldd /path/to/executable

This will tell you what libraries are needed by an executable, but I don't think it will tell you if those libraries depend on other libraries.

Posted by Felson on Mar. 12 2007,16:12

Ya, ldd is what you are looking for. However, some programs load things useing an "exec" commmand (eg shell execute) So, ldd tells you all the libs you need for your current executable, but you will still need to test all the functions to be sure they work. then ldd any other executables that are needed from there.

Posted by Juanito on Mar. 12 2007,17:11

Thanks - 'seems to work for executables and also for libraries to see if they in turn depend on other libraries

Posted by Felson on Mar. 12 2007,17:28

I think it nests... That is, if you check a file, it automaticly tests all the files that depend on the ones it needs, and so on till it is done.