Re: [PATCH] Limited export of dynamic syms (elf32)

[Eirik Byrkjeflot Anonsen <eirik at opera dot com>]

Andreas Jaeger wrote:
> 
> Eirik Byrkjeflot Anonsen <eirik@opera.com> writes:
> 
> > I have implemented a possibility for exporting only selected symbols
> > as dynamic symbols in the elf32 case.
> 
> Is this for shared libs or for applications?  What is the advantage of
> this over symbol versioning?
> 
> Andreas


I believe it works for both.  The reason for implementing it was
to make Opera/Linux not export internal symbols that could expose
parts of the program that we don't want exposed (like the registration
code...).  Another reason is the possibility of a shared library loaded
by Opera (like a plug-in) accidentally calling internal functions of
Opera.  And finally, we saved roughly 1.5 Mb (IIRC) on the final
executable size.

Given a shared library with only a few functions that
are supposed to be called, all three of these concerns are quite valid.
With the addition that the library could accidentally override a symbol
in another library due to having the same name.

Incidentally, I forgot to mention this in the last mail, but I don't
subscribe to the list, so thanks for mailing me directly.

eirik