#### Linux From Scratch - Version 7.9

### Chapter 6. Installing Basic System Software

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# 6.34. Readline-6.3

The Readline package is a set of libraries that offers command-line editing and history capabilities.

Approximate build time: 0.1 SBU
Required disk space: 13.5 MB

## 6.34.1. Installation of Readline

First install some patches to fix various bugs that have been addressed upstream:

    patch -Np1 -i ../readline-6.3-upstream_fixes-3.patch

Reinstalling Readline will cause the old libraries to be moved to <libraryname>.old. While this is normally not a problem, in some cases it can trigger a linking bug in ldconfig. This can be avoided by issuing the following two seds:

    sed -i '/MV.*old/d' Makefile.in
    sed -i '/{OLDSUFF}/c:' support/shlib-install

Prepare Readline for compilation:

    ./configure --prefix=/usr    \
                --disable-static \
                --docdir=/usr/share/doc/readline-6.3

Compile the package:

    make SHLIB_LIBS=-lncurses

The meaning of the make option:

`SHLIB_LIBS=-lncurses`

  This option forces Readline to link against the `libncurses` (really, `libncursesw`) library.

This package does not come with a test suite.

Install the package:

    make SHLIB_LIBS=-lncurses install

Now move the dynamic libraries to a more appropriate location and fix up some symbolic links:

    mv -v /usr/lib/lib{readline,history}.so.* /lib
    ln -sfv ../../lib/$(readlink /usr/lib/libreadline.so) /usr/lib/libreadline.so
    ln -sfv ../../lib/$(readlink /usr/lib/libhistory.so ) /usr/lib/libhistory.so

If desired, install the documentation:

    install -v -m644 doc/*.{ps,pdf,html,dvi} /usr/share/doc/readline-6.3

## 6.34.2. Contents of Readline

Installed libraries: libhistory.so and libreadline.so
Installed directories: /usr/include/readline and /usr/share/doc/readline-6.3

### Short Descriptions

`libhistory` | Provides a consistent user interface for recalling lines of history
`libreadline` | Aids in the consistency of user interface across discrete programs that need to provide a command line interface

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