System.Directory.findExecutable and ghc's ld in Windows

[Simon Marlow]

Esa Ilari Vuokko wrote:
> Hi!
> 
> (please CC me as I am not subscribed)
> 
> Happens on Cabal darcs head and Windows with ghc.
> 
> In Distribution.Simple.GHC.build we try to invoke ld.  In Windows
> this file is found by deduction from ghc.exe path.
> (foo\bin\ghc.exe -> foo\gcc-lib\ld.exe).  When this absolute (rooted)
> path is passed on to rawSystem*, it gets search through PATH
> environment-variable in System.Directory.findExecutable
> (or the version in Compat.)
> 
> System.Directory.findExecutable went through a rewrite for Windows
> between 6.4 series and 6.5 - it now uses Windows API function
> SearcPath which passes absolute paths straight throuhg, at least
> on my system (Windows XP).
> 
> In the end, because 6.4.2 doesn't let absolute paths through,
> we need a fix.  What is the right way here?  Assume ghc 6.4.3 and
> get fix merged (see diff [1]); Add extra check for absolute path
> and file existence on findExecutable (and propagate this fix to
> base);

That sounds like the way to go to me.  That patch for System.Directory 
wasn't on the list to go into 6.4.3, I'm not sure whether it should.

Cheers,
	Simon