got --with-other-libc to work, finally

configure.in

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ dnl Process this file with autoconf to produce a configure script.
 AC_INIT(sql/mysqld.cc)
 AC_CANONICAL_SYSTEM
 # The Docs Makefile.am parses this line!
-AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE(mysql, 3.23.36)
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE(mysql, 3.23.37)
 AM_CONFIG_HEADER(config.h)
 
 PROTOCOL_VERSION=10
@@ -390,6 +390,38 @@ then
   AC_MSG_ERROR([MySQL requiers a ANSI C compiler (and a C++ compiler). Try gcc. See the Installation chapter in the Reference Manual.])
 fi
 
+NOINST_LDFLAGS=
+
+AC_ARG_WITH(other-libc,
+ [ --with-other-libc=/path/to/other/libc/dir Link against libc and other standard libraries installed in the specified non-standard location overriding default. Originally added to be able to link against glibc 2.2 without making the user upgrade the standard libc installation ],
+ [
+   other_libc_include="$withval/include"
+   other_libc_lib="$withval/lib"
+   with_other_libc="yes"
+   enable_shared="no"
+   all_is_static="yes"
+   CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -I$other_libc_include"
+   CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS -fpermissive -I$other_libc_include"
+#There seems to be a feature in gcc that treats system and libc headers
+#leniently when they violatate ANSI C++ standard, but it is strict otherwise
+#since gcc cannot now recognize that our headers are libc, we work around
+#by telling it to be permissive   
+   LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -static -L$other_libc_lib "
+   with_mysqld_ldflags="-all-static"
+   with_client_ldflags="-all-static"
+   NOINST_LDFLAGS="-all-static"
+#when linking against custom libc installed separately, we want to force all
+#binary builds to be static, including the build done by configure itself
+#to test for system features   
+ ],
+ [
+  other_libc_include=
+  other_libc_lib=
+  with_other_libc="no"
+ ]
+)
+AC_SUBST(NOINST_LDFLAGS)
+
 AC_ARG_WITH(server-suffix,
     [  --with-server-suffix    Append value to the version string.],
     # I heard that 'cut' isn't portable.  Isn't there a better way?
@@ -1162,7 +1194,7 @@ fi
 AC_SUBST(COMPILATION_COMMENT)
 
 AC_MSG_CHECKING("need of special linking flags")
-if test "$IS_LINUX" = "true"
+if test "$IS_LINUX" = "true" -a "$all_is_static" != "yes"
 then
   LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -rdynamic"
   AC_MSG_RESULT("-rdynamic")
@@ -1317,7 +1349,10 @@ ac_save_CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS"
 AC_CACHE_CHECK([style of gethost* routines], mysql_cv_gethost_style,
 AC_LANG_SAVE
 AC_LANG_CPLUSPLUS
-if test "$ac_cv_prog_gxx" = "yes"
+#do not treat warnings as errors if we are linking agaist other libc
+#this is to work around gcc not being permissive on non-system includes
+#with respect to ANSI C++
+if test "$ac_cv_prog_gxx" = "yes" -a "$with_other_libc" = "no" 
 then
   CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS -Werror"
 fi
@@ -1349,7 +1384,7 @@ ac_save_CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS"
 AC_CACHE_CHECK([style of gethostname_r routines], mysql_cv_gethostname_style,
 AC_LANG_SAVE
 AC_LANG_CPLUSPLUS
-if test "$ac_cv_prog_gxx" = "yes"
+if test "$ac_cv_prog_gxx" = "yes" -a "$with_other_libc" = "no"
 then
   CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS -Werror"
 fi
@@ -1380,7 +1415,7 @@ ac_save_CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS"
 AC_CACHE_CHECK([3 argument to gethostname_r routines], mysql_cv_gethostname_arg,
 AC_LANG_SAVE
 AC_LANG_CPLUSPLUS
-if test "$ac_cv_prog_gxx" = "yes"
+if test "$ac_cv_prog_gxx" = "yes" -a "$with_other_libc" = "no"
 then
   CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS -Werror"
 fi

heap/Makefile.am

@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ LDADD =			libheap.a ../mysys/libmysys.a ../dbug/libdbug.a \
 			../strings/libmystrings.a
 pkglib_LIBRARIES =	libheap.a
 noinst_PROGRAMS	=	hp_test1 hp_test2
+hp_test1_LDFLAGS = @NOINST_LDFLAGS@
+hp_test2_LDFLAGS = @NOINST_LDFLAGS@
 noinst_HEADERS =	heapdef.h
 libheap_a_SOURCES =	hp_open.c hp_extra.c hp_close.c hp_panic.c hp_info.c \
 			hp_rrnd.c hp_scan.c hp_update.c hp_write.c hp_delete.c \

libmysql/Makefile.shared

@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@ ctype_extra_sources.c: conf_to_src
 	              $(srcdir)/ctype_extra_sources.c
 conf_to_src_SOURCES = conf_to_src.c
 conf_to_src_LDADD=
-
+#for --with-other-libc to ensure static linking
+#note -all-static rather than -static
+#this is needed for libtool to work right
+conf_to_src_LDFLAGS=-all-static
 # Don't update the files from bitkeeper
 %::SCCS/s.%

mysys/Makefile.am

@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ OMIT_DEPENDENCIES =	pthread.h stdio.h __stdio.h stdlib.h __stdlib.h math.h\
 			cdefs.h machdep.h signal.h __signal.h util.h
 
 # I hope this always does the right thing. Otherwise this is only test programs
-FLAGS=$(DEFS) $(INCLUDES) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGS)
+FLAGS=$(DEFS) $(INCLUDES) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) @NOINST_LDFLAGS@
 
 #
 # The CP .. RM stuff is to avoid problems with some compilers (like alpha ccc)
@@ -81,17 +81,17 @@ FLAGS=$(DEFS) $(INCLUDES) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGS)
 #
 
 test_thr_alarm: thr_alarm.c $(LIBRARIES)
-	$(CP) $(srcdir)/thr_alarm.c ./test_thr_alarm.c
-	$(LINK) $(FLAGS) -DMAIN ./test_thr_alarm.c $(LDADD) $(LIBS)
+	$(CP) -f $(srcdir)/thr_alarm.c ./test_thr_alarm.c
+	$(LINK) $(FLAGS) -DMAIN  ./test_thr_alarm.c $(LDADD) $(LIBS)
 	$(RM) -f ./test_thr_alarm.*
 
 test_thr_lock: thr_lock.c $(LIBRARIES)
-	$(CP) $(srcdir)/thr_lock.c test_thr_lock.c
-	$(LINK) $(FLAGS) -DMAIN ./test_thr_lock.c $(LDADD) $(LIBS)
+	$(CP) -f $(srcdir)/thr_lock.c test_thr_lock.c
+	$(LINK) $(FLAGS) -DMAIN  ./test_thr_lock.c $(LDADD) $(LIBS)
 	$(RM) -f ./test_thr_lock.*
 
 test_vsnprintf: my_vsnprintf.c $(LIBRARIES)
-	$(CP) $(srcdir)/my_vsnprintf.c test_vsnprintf.c
+	$(CP) -f $(srcdir)/my_vsnprintf.c test_vsnprintf.c
 	$(LINK) $(FLAGS) -DMAIN ./test_vsnprintf.c $(LDADD) $(LIBS)
 	$(RM) -f test_vsnprintf.*
 
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ test_dir: test_dir.c $(LIBRARIES)
 test_charset: test_charset.c $(LIBRARIES)
 	$(LINK) $(FLAGS) -DMAIN $(srcdir)/test_charset.c $(LDADD) $(LIBS)
 
-test_hash: test_hash.c $(LIBRARIES)
+testhash: testhash.c $(LIBRARIES)
 	$(LINK) $(FLAGS) -DMAIN $(srcdir)/test_dir.c $(LDADD) $(LIBS)
 
 # Don't update the files from bitkeeper

regex/Makefile.am

@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ libregex_a_SOURCES =	regerror.c regcomp.c regexec.c regfree.c reginit.c
 noinst_PROGRAMS =	re
 re_SOURCES =		split.c debug.c main.c
 re_DEPENDENCIES=	$(LIBRARIES)
+re_LDFLAGS= @NOINST_LDFLAGS@
 EXTRA_DIST =		tests CHANGES COPYRIGHT WHATSNEW regexp.c \
 			debug.ih engine.ih main.ih regcomp.ih regerror.ih \
 			regex.3 regex.7

sql/Makefile.am

@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ SUBDIRS =		share
 bin_PROGRAMS	=	mysqlbinlog
 libexec_PROGRAMS =	mysqld
 noinst_PROGRAMS =	gen_lex_hash
+gen_lex_hash_LDFLAGS =        @NOINST_LDFLAGS@
 LDADD =			../isam/libnisam.a \
 			../merge/libmerge.a \
 			../myisam/libmyisam.a \
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ gen_lex_hash_SOURCES =	gen_lex_hash.cc
 gen_lex_hash_LDADD =	$(LDADD) $(CXXLDFLAGS)
 mysqlbinlog_SOURCES =   mysqlbinlog.cc mini_client.cc net_serv.cc \
 			mini_client_errors.c violite.c password.c
-mysqlbinlog_LDADD = $(LDADD) $(CXXLDFLAGS)
+mysqlbinlog_LDADD = $(LDADD) $(CXXLDFLAGS) $(mysqld_LDADD)
 
 DEFS =			-DMYSQL_SERVER \
 			-DDEFAULT_MYSQL_HOME="\"$(MYSQLBASEdir)\"" \

strings/Makefile.am

@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ endif
 endif
 
 libmystrings_a_SOURCES = @CHARSET_SRCS@ $(ASRCS) $(CSRCS)
-
 noinst_PROGRAMS = conf_to_src
 # Default charset definitions
 EXTRA_DIST =		ctype-big5.c ctype-czech.c ctype-euc_kr.c \
@@ -71,6 +70,9 @@ ctype_extra_sources.c: conf_to_src
 	              $(srcdir)/ctype_extra_sources.c
 conf_to_src_SOURCES = conf_to_src.c
 conf_to_src_LDADD=
+#force static linking of conf_to_src - essential when linking against
+#custom installation of libc
+conf_to_src_LDFLAGS= @NOINST_LDFLAGS@
 
 # This is because the dependency tracking misses @FOO@ vars in sources.
 strtoull.o:		@CHARSET_OBJS@