libraries

[Norman Joseph]

>From article <15080 at mimsy.UUCP>, by chris at mimsy.UUCP (Chris Torek):

#               [...]  A Unix `.a' `library' file is simply a file containing
# other files, plus (depending on your system) a symbol table (in the
# `sub-file' __.SYMDEF).  Now then, what is a Unix directory?
#  [...]
# If your answer was `a file containing other files', congratulations.
# 
# Now, aside from the actual implementation, what is the difference between
# a library file that contains other files and a library directory that
# contains other files?
# 
# If your answer was `none', congratulations again.

I probably won't be the only one to point this out, but...

I was taught that a `Unix directory' contained filename/i-node number
pairs, and that the actual contents of the files listed in the directory
existed -outside- of the directory itself.

This certainly -would- be different from a Unix `.a' file if, in fact,
the contents of the (object) files it `archives' are actually contained
within the `.a' file proper.

Now, most of this goes without saying, so I believe that I must have
missed the point you were trying to make by using this analogy.

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 Norm Joseph                   | UUCP: ...!{pitt,cgh}!amanue!oglvee!norm
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