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sindi keesan wrote:
>
> So it pkg'ed x-libs.tgz.
> xv now works perfectly 

I assume that is the xv from Slackware 4.0.

> But xpdf also still complains about libX11.so.6:

I assume that is a glibc2 version of xpdf 
(i.e. your xpdf is not from Slackware 4.0)

> libX11.so.6:  undefined symbol:  _xstat.

That's the same error that stops SWflash working
on the BL3 X libraries.

> Does xpdf need a newer libX11?  

The xpdf in Slackware 4.0 does not need newer X libraries.
However, if you are using a different xpdf, then its
library dependencies will depend on how it was compiled.

> It works in BL2 with SW7.1 X libraries.

Those X libraries are glibc2.  The BL3 X libraries are
libc5.

> If I replace libX11.so.6, should I replace all the X libraries 

Yes, definitely.  All the X libraries should be compatible
with each other.  However, replacing the BL3 X libraries
will probably kill all the dynamic X binaries that came 
with BL3, including xinit (startx).  

Please note:  I am not talking about the BL3 x-libs.tgz 
package.  That works smoothly with BL3 and does not kill 
anything.  What Sindi is talking about is replacing the 
BL3 X libraries with X libraries from a later Slackware.  
This is not recommended.  BL3 is designed to work with 
packages from Slackware 4.0.  Packages from more up-to-date
Slackwares are unlikely to work (and may cause malfunctions 
by over-writing crucial BL3 components).

> with X libraries from Slackware 7.1 or even 9.0 or would 
> the libc5 X programs that come with BL3.40 no longer work?

The libc5 X programs would no longer work.  Unlike the
libraries in /lib (where libc5 and glibc2 libraries
coexist quite happily), the newer X libraries overwrite
the old (in /usr/X11R6/lib).

> If newer libX11 etc. fixes xpdf, 

They don't fix xpdf.  xpdf (from Slackware 4.0) works
fine with the existing libs.  What you are trying to
do is use a version of xpdf that was compiled for newer
libs.  Naturally, it needs those new libs to function
properly.

> maybe you could also post a SW7.1 or 9.0 x-libs.tgz package. 

It's not just the X libs, you also need compatible X binaries 
(eg xinit).  In the Slackware x directory you will find the
xbin.tgz package.  It contains the base libraries and binaries
for X.  If you want to experiment with X from a more-to-date 
Slackware (at your own risk), then you could try installing 
the xbin.tgz package.

> I don't want to experiment since at present it is only xpdf 
> that does not work in BL3.40.  

Then I suggest you use xpdf from Slackware 4.0.

> You were experimenting with Flash and later X libraries.  

Yes, SWflash requires a more up-to-date X library (unlike
Opera which works fine with the BL3 x-libs package).

> and nothing else got broken with the later X libraries?

Nearly everything got broken -- xinit (startx), xterm, 
icewm, MagicPoint, etc.  The only X binaries that worked 
were Xvesa (statically compiled) and Opera (with SWflash).

> Perhaps someone could compile xpdf to work with the 
> BL3.40 (SW4.0) X libraries.  

Once again I will say for the benefit of people reading
this:  there is a version of xpdf (from Slackware 4.0)
that works fine in BL3.  What Sindi wants is the very
latest version.  

> Other X programs might also be looking for Courier.

BL3 comes with a minimal set of fonts.  Users who need
more fonts should install the xfnts.tgz package from
the /slakware/x1 directory of Slackware 4.0.

> I hope some day you can make a completely uClibc BL so 
> we don't need two libc's 

BL3 does not need two libc's.  With just one libc
(the built-in libc5) you can run all the BL3 add-ons 
plus you can install packages from Slackware 4.0.    

> and can just add glibc2 from SW9.0 if we want to use 
> precompiled programs from Slackware.

That's two libc's (uClibc and glibc2).  Pre-compiled
binaries for uClibc are nearly non-existent, so most
users would be forced to add the second libc (glibc2).
A completely uClibc BL would actually be worse, not 
better.

Cheers,
Steven