lfs-book/chapter06/config-ldso.xml

<sect2>
<title>Configuring Dynamic Loader</title>

<para>
By default the dynamic loader searches a few default paths for dynamic
libraries, so there normally isn't a need for the
<filename>/etc/ld.so.conf</filename> file unless the system has extra
directories in which a user wants the system to search for paths. The
<filename class="directory">/usr/local/lib</filename> directory isn't
searched through for dynamic libraries by default, so we want to add
this path so when a user installs software he won't be surprised by them not
running for some reason.
</para>

<para>
Create a new file <filename>/etc/ld.so.conf</filename> by running the
following:
</para>

<literallayout>

<userinput>cat &gt; /etc/ld.so.conf &lt;&lt; "EOF"</userinput>
# Begin /etc/ld.so.conf

/lib
/usr/lib
/usr/local/lib

# End /etc/ld.so.conf
<userinput>EOF</userinput>

</literallayout>

<para>
Although it's not necessary to add the 
<filename class="directory">/lib</filename> and 
<filename class="directory">/usr/lib</filename> directories it doesn't 
hurt. This way it can be seen right away what's being searched and a user
doesn't have 
to remember the default search paths if he doesn't want to.
</para>

</sect2>