Can't insall libpcap0.8-dev:i386 to compile 32bit App under 64bit environment

Question

I am writing a little program which uses libpcap and my target machine is i386, while my dev machine is x86_64.

Now, when I install libpcap0.8:i386, which works, I get under /usr/lib/i386_linux_gnu/ libpcap.so.0.8 and libpcap.so.1.1.1 but NOT libpcap.so I installed libpcap0.8-dev on a 32bit VM and it seems like this package contains the symlink libpcap.so

When I want to compile my program with -m32 -L/usr/lib/i386_linux_gnu/ -lpcap that just won't work, because it can't find the library (obviously). So I have to use ugly hacks like specifying the version with -l:lipcap.so.1.1.1 or by creating a symlink manually.

Trying to install libpcap0.8-dev:i386 gives me dependency hell (open: 65; closed: 238; defer: 25; conflict: 40).

So is there a beautiful way to fix this, in a way using the package system how it's supposed to work, or do I need to stick with my ugly hacks. Or is this a bug and I should file a report?

Answer 1

Multiarch isn't pervasive yet, only some of the most common libraries have been multi-arched.

So, instead of cross-building using multi-arched libraries, why don't you just build your app in a 32bit chroot? I described how to do that here.

Answer 2

Well, I just created a symlink from '/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libpcap.so' to '/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libpcap.so.0.8'