4.2. Creating the ${CLFS}/tools Directory

All programs compiled in Constructing a Temporary System will be installed under ${CLFS}/tools to keep them separate from the programs compiled in Installing Basic System Software. The programs compiled here are temporary tools and will not be a part of the final CLFS system. By keeping these programs in a separate directory, they can easily be discarded later after their use. This also prevents these programs from ending up in the host production directories (easy to do by accident in Constructing a Temporary System).

Create the required directory by running the following as root:

install -dv ${CLFS}/tools

The next step is to create a /tools symlink on the host system. This will point to the newly-created directory on the CLFS partition. Run this command as root as well:

ln -sv ${CLFS}/tools /

The created symlink enables the toolchain to be compiled so that it always refers to /tools, meaning that the compiler, assembler, and linker will work. This will provide a common place for our temporary tools system.