pkgconfig switch

[lazka]

I've looked into if we can move from pkg-config to pkgconf for mingw as well.

Current actions:

• I've added a third job to CI which builds everything with pkgconf instead of pkg-config, so far nothing has failed
• I've run the meson test suite with pkgconfig and various tests have failed: https://github.com/lazka/meson/runs/1349749205 We need to look into those.

[okhlybov]

What is the purpose for this switch? Is pkgconf any better than pkg-config?

[lazka]

See http://pkgconf.org/features.html (for pkg-config use the git column, most of it isn't that relevant though)

Nice things:

• Supports CFLAGS.private which might be handy for Windows static builds, see General opinion adding Cflags.private to pkg-config as patch to benefit static libraries linking #2826
• Is at least somewhat maintained and open to adding new features
• Is recommended by the meson developers
• Fewer dependencies
• builds in 30s instead of 5m

[okhlybov]

What does the switch mean for the package maintainers?
Will it be the all-in switch or both tools are expected to be coinstalled?
Will pkgconf come into the base-devel or it should be explicitly depended upon?

[lazka]

What does the switch mean for the package maintainers?

Ideally, no changes.

Will it be the all-in switch or both tools are expected to be coinstalled?

all in, pkgconf provides the same executables

Will pkgconf come into the base-devel or it should be explicitly depended upon?

It will be in base-devel instead of pkg-config

See msys2/MSYS2-packages#2197 for a similar switch

[okhlybov]

all in, pkgconf provides the same executables

So we continue to use the pkg-config executable now coming from the pkgconf package, right?

[lazka]

yes

[lazka]

The meson test suite now passes with the latest fixes.

I think this is ready.

[rnicolas]

Just to cite that if you were using pkg-config (or you read any tutorial where pkg-config is cited), and you want to use pkgconf instead, you might need to replace pkg-config for pkgconf .