Shared library not found when compiling a C program - c

Question

So, I have a simple program which looks like so:
#include <amqp.h>
#include <amqp_framing.h>
int main(int argc, char const * const *argv) {
amqp_connection_state_t conn;
conn = amqp_new_connection();
amqp_destroy_connection(conn);
return 0;
}
This program depends on rabbitmq-c library. I compiled it with no errors. So, when I run
$ ls /rabbitmq-c/_install/include/
I get all its header files, that I need:
amqp.h
amqp_framing.h
amqp_tcp_socket.h
And when I run
$ ls /rabbitmq-c/_build/librabbitmq/
I see all needed ".so" files:
CMakeFiles
Makefile
cmake_install.cmake
config.h
librabbitmq.a
librabbitmq.so
librabbitmq.so.4
librabbitmq.so.4.4.1
And finally I compile my own program like so:
$ gcc -I/rabbitmq-c/_install/include/ -g -Wall -c main.c
$ gcc -L/rabbitmq-c/_build/librabbitmq/ -g -Wall -o rabbit main.o -lrabbitmq
It compiles with no errors. However, when I do:
$ ldd ./rabbit
I get this message:
librabbitmq.so.4 => not found
So, what am I missing and how can I fix it?

Answer 1

When you link shared library into an executable, the linker will recorder the library name (in this case librabbitmq.so.4) into the executable. It is the job of the dynamic linker (ld.so), to locate the libraries, and combine them for execution.
To locate the libraries, the dynamic linker constructs a search path (similar to PATH). This include:
LD_LIBRARY_PATH
Hard-coded directories added to the executable.
Default folders (/lib, /usr/lib, etc.).
In the above case, looks like neither #1 nor #2 were used, and the library is not in the default location. Can be fixed using #1 or #2
# Option 1.
# Both gcc, and ldd consult LD_LIBRARY_PATH
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/rabbitmq-c/_build/librabbitmq
gcc -g -Wall -o rabbit main.o -lrabbitmq
ldd ./rabbit
# Option #2
# Inject SO directory into the executable with -Wl,-rpath,...
gcc -L/rabbitmq-c/_build/librabbitmq/ -Wl,-rpath,/rabbitmq-c/_build/librabbitmq/ -g -Wall -o rabbit main.o -lrabbitmq
ldd ./rabbit
Consult man ld.so for the full details.
From personal experience, when dealing with 'one-off' libraries, better to use the 'rpath' (#2) approach. Trying to add lot of locations into LD_LIBRARY_PATH can easily result in hard to manage, long, LD_LIBRARY_PATH. Using LD_LIBRARY_PATH works best when a wrapper script is created to launch the program
File: rabbit-run (same folder as executable)
# Prepend rabbitmq SO location to current LD_LIBRARY_PATH
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/rabbitmq-c/_build/librabbitmq${LD_LIBRARY_PATH+:$X}
# Execute the binary, from the same location of the launcher
${0%/*}/./rabbit

Answer 2

If your binary don't find your "librabbitmq.so.4", that means this shared object is not found by ld (the dynamic linker)
First step, do a "ldconfig". Does this solve your problem ?
Yes ? Cool.
if not, then you have to tell ldconfig where to look to find "librabbitmq.so.4".
So either you move it in a knowed folder (LD_LIBRARY_PATH for exemple) or add it so it will be knowed by ld.
echo '/rabbitmq-c/_build/librabbitmq' > '/etc/ld.so.conf.d/name_this_file_yourself.conf'
ldconfig
This should fix your issue.