Linking with dynamic library with dependencies

Question

Consider the following scenario:

• Shared Library libA.so ,with no dependencies.
• Shared Library libB.so, with libA.so as its dependency.

Answer 1

This is an interesting post - I was banging my head with this as well, but I think you miss a point here..

The idea is as follows, right ?

main.cpp =(depends)=> libB.so =(depends)=> libA.so

Let's further consider that ..

• In a.cpp (and only there) you define a class / variable, let's call it "symA"
• In b.cpp (and only there) you define a class / variable, let's call it "symB".
• symB uses symA
• main.cpp uses symB

Now, libB.so and libA.so have been compiled as you described above. After that, your first option should work, i.e.:

g++ main.cpp -o main -I. -L. -lB

I guess that your problem originates from the fact that

in main.cpp you also refer to symA

Am I correct?

If you use a symbol in your code, then that symbol must be found in an .so file

The whole idea of inter-referencing shared libraries (i.e. creating APIs), is that the symbols in the deeper layers are hidden (think of peeling onions) and not used. .. i.e. don't refer to symA in your main.cpp, but only to symB instead (and let symB to refer symA only).