proposed java install and extensions directory change

Thu Feb 28 15:21:00 GMT 2002

> So the compiler always searches the extension directory, --extdirs= just
> let the user override this?

Yes. Though since the extension directories are last, hopefully in many
case the cokpiler won't need to search them.)
> Does "--extdirs=" mean don't seach anywhere?

No, it means just search the --classpth (or CLASSPATH env var) and the
--bootclasspath.
> Should there also be a default secondary /usr/local/share/java/ext?

Perhaps. It's easy enough to add, since extdirs takes a list of
directories (needed for jdk compatibility).
> If extdir searches end up being too slow, you can imagine speeding up
> the search by having a single property file mapping class names to jar
> files, which is refreshed at jar file installation time.

Well, I would have property file mapping *package* names, to jar files.
In pathological cases a package name may map to more than one jar file,
but not in the normal case.
-- 
	--Per Bothner
per@bothner.com http://www.bothner.com/per/