Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

freetds - RE: [freetds] snprintf replacement?

freetds AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: FreeTDS Development Group

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Lowden, James K" <LowdenJK AT bernstein.com>
  • To: "FreeTDS Development Group" <freetds AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: RE: [freetds] snprintf replacement?
  • Date: Fri, 5 Nov 2004 10:34:31 -0500

> From: Craig A. Berry
> Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 11:05 PM
>
> There are now a handful of places in the code where we use snprintf.
> This is available on the latest version of VMS, but not on the
> second-latest or older, so I'm casting about for a replacement to fit
> into the src/replacements scheme. There is one that looks promising
> here:
>
> http://www.ijs.si/software/snprintf/
>
> but I have doubts about whether the Frontier license or the GPL (it
> gives you a choice of either) is compatible with the LGPL that
> FreeTDS uses.
>
> Does anyone know of a public domain snprintf that is complete and
> robust or can anyone shed further light on the licensing issue?

Hi Craig,

It looks like Freddy mooted the point, and the code is better for it.
If nothing else, the recftos filename can now be more than 255
characters.

As for the licensing. FreeTDS is primarily a source distribution; as
source, there is no licensing issue. Binaries are of course another
matter, but only an extremely small set of architectures would need
replacements/snpringtf.c (were it there). Those architectures would be
prohibited from distributing a binary. But that's not a huge problem;
after all, how many VMS-for-2-plus-versions-ago binaries are going to be
(publicly) redistributed?

Another way around the issue is to make real use of dynamic libraries.
Does VMS have that these days? (It's been a long time for me.) snprintf
or whatever could be kept out of the source distribution, but offered on
our server as a stand-alone library. Build it and install it on your
system, then build and install FreeTDS, linking to it.

Either way, we just make sure the docs and build scripts say, "You can't
include GPL code in any binary distribution of FreeTDS". When that
cramps someone's style, we look for a convenient, legal solution.

Regards,

--jkl

-----------------------------------------
The information contained in this transmission may contain privileged and
confidential information and is intended only for the use of the person(s)
named above. If you are not the intended recipient, or an employee or agent
responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, any
review, dissemination, distribution or duplication of this communication is
strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact
the sender immediately by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original
message. Please note that we do not accept account orders and/or instructions
by e-mail, and therefore will not be responsible for carrying out such orders
and/or instructions.
If you, as the intended recipient of this message, the purpose of which is to
inform and update our clients, prospects and consultants of developments
relating to our services and products, would not like to receive further
e-mail correspondence from the sender, please "reply" to the sender
indicating your wishes. In the U.S.: 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York,
NY 10105.






Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page