"nm-glib.h" is the most basic header, the one we cannot do without.
("nm-default.h", is already more generic, the one which every common
source file in NetworkManager repository should include).
Let "gsystem-local-alloc.h" be included by "nm-glib.h" and nowhere
else.
This file is only used by plugins and copied between them.
It's purpose is to contain general utility functions that are
only relevant for implementing NetworkManager's VPN plugins.
In principle the utility functions could be part of libnm, however,
there are a few problems with that:
- if they are part of libnm, adding and using a new utility function
requires the plugin to bump the required libnm version. Since you
usally can work around/reimplement utility functions, this results
in not using the API from libnm, not adding the API to libnm,
and reimplementing it over and over in the plugin.
- plugins compile both against libnm and libnm-glib. Thus, either
the utility function would also be needed in libnm-glib, or again,
it is not usable by the plugin.
We must avoid that the utility functions diverge and no local
modifications to these files should be made in the plugin.
Instead, one special location of the utility functions shall be
extended and re-imported (copied) to the plugin as needed.
Add the files to NetworkManager's repository. Although they are not
needed for NetworkManager itself, they are a different API provided
by NetworkManager. An API that is reused and shared by copying the files
around.
The "shared" directory contains files that are possibly used by all components
of NetworkManager repository.
Some of these files are even copied as-is to other projects (VPN plugins, nm-applet)
and used there without modification. Move those files to a separate directory.
By moving them to a common directory, it is clearer that they belong
together. Also, you can easier compare the copied versions to their
original via
$ diff -r ./shared/nm-utils/ /path/to/nm-vpn-plugin/shared/nm-utils/
