1526519 - Change the Firefox build systems to allow other users of Gecko to override security/nss.symbols

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(Thunderbird :: Build Config, enhancement)

Description

[Kai Engert (:KaiE:)]

Thunderbird might need additional symbols from NSS that Firefox doesn't need or want to export.

Or, Thunderbird might require exporting of additional symbols on a stable branch, and Firefox might not want to make such a change on a stable branch.

Therefore I suggest that we consider one of the following options:

(a) introduce a new configuration option, that tells the build system
to use a replacement for the security/nss.symbols file.

(b) disable MOZ_FOLD_LIBS for Thunderbird
(found in old-configure.in)
and use the classic style individual shared libraries on Windows and OSX
(does this still work on those platforms?)

Comment 1

[Kai Engert (:KaiE:)]

Kim, if a change to the Firefox build system is necessary to make this overridable, is Thunderbird the right bugzilla product?

Comment 2

[Kai Engert (:KaiE:)]

Attachment: bug1526519-v1.patch

I found it's already possible.

File nss.symbols supports a config variable NSS_EXTRA_SYMBOLS_FILE.
Thunderbird could define that file in comm/mail/confvars.sh if extra symbols needs to be exported.

I played with the firefox configuration script, and this patch implements a new configure option to define the extra file.
Not sure if we need it.

Comment 3

[Rob Lemley [:rjl]]

This can be done by changing comm/mail/confvars.sh as you said. I don't see any reason to change the build code.

NSS_EXTRA_SYMBOLS_FILE=$commtopsrcdir/nss.symbols

...or wherever it goes.

Similarly if MOZ_FOLD_LIBS needs to be unset:

MOZ_FOLD_LIBS=

would be enough. I don't know what the latter will affect, or as you asked, will it even build.

I assume that Seamonkey would need the same changes, so comm/suite/confvars.sh will need to be updated as well.

You can assign this to me and I can take care of the changes. Moving back to Thunderbird-Build Config.

Comment 4

[Kai Engert (:KaiE:)]

Rob, I agree it's unnecessary. Thanks for your additional explanations.

Note that the variable NSS_EXTRA_SYMBOLS_FILE needs to be set to a relative path, relative to the mozilla subdirectory "security".

Assigning to you, for the final decision if any changes should be made. I'm ok with wontfix.

Comment 5

[Rob Lemley [:rjl]]

This will be handled in comm code only in bug 1529228.