GTK+(1)

📦 version 1.2.10, in fedora 43, fedora 44

💖 GTK+(1) — the gtk-config era, bestie 💖

okay so real talk, this is the gtk-config manual page from way back — GTK+ version 1.2.10, dated 25 October 1998 — and yes she's vintage but she still slays. Let's get into it 💅

✨ NAME ✨

gtk-config — a lil script that tells you everything about the GTK+ you've got installed 🎀

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

gtk-config [--prefix[=DIR]] [--exec-prefix[=DIR]] [--version] [--libs]
           [--cflags]

look at her. so compact. so iconic. 👑

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

okay so picture this: you're building a program that uses GTK+ and you need to know what compiler flags and linker flags to feed your build system. that's literally the whole job. gtk-config is the tool you run to figure out the compiler and linker flags that should be used to compile and link programs that use GTK+. 🫶

and ngl, she's not just out here for you — she's also used internally by the .m4 macros for GNU autoconf that ship with GTK+. so she's basically the backbone of the whole build situation. main character energy, fr fr. 💖

💅 OPTIONS 💅

gtk-config accepts the following options:

  • --version — prints the currently installed version of GTK+ straight to standard output. cute, quick, informative. ✨
  • --libs — prints the linker flags you need to link a GTK+ program. this is the one you want when your linker is mad at you. 🔥
  • --cflags — prints the compiler flags you need to compile a GTK+ program. your compiler will thank you. 🌸
  • --prefix=PREFIX — if you specify this, use PREFIX instead of the installation prefix that GTK+ was built with when computing the output for the --cflags and --libs options. this option is also used for the exec prefix if --exec-prefix wasn't specified. 🚨 important: this option must be specified before any --libs or --cflags options. order matters, bestie, don't play yourself. 😭
  • --exec-prefix=PREFIX — if you specify this, use PREFIX instead of the installation exec prefix that GTK+ was built with when computing the output for the --cflags and --libs options. same deal as above: this option must be specified before any --libs or --cflags options. ⭐
lowkey the biggest trap here is the ordering thing. if you put --prefix after --cflags she will simply not do the thing you wanted. put her first. periodt. 💀

🧚 SEE ALSO 🧚

go read those too, iykyk 💜

Copyright © 1998 Owen Taylor

Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in supporting documentation. 📜

that's the whole page bestie, no cap. every flag, every caveat, all of it. 🌈

Version 1.2.10 · dated 25 October 1998 · that's the source and the date right there, mwah, bye bestie 🎀✨💖🦋🌸💅🫶

📦 where this page comes from