gettext: /usr/lib/system/libmathCommon.la: No such file or directory

[macports@…]

Am not able to compile gettext on Snow Leopard. see attached for debug log: libtool is complaining about a missing "/usr/lib/system/libmathCommon.la". Note that "/usr/lib/system/libmathCommon.dylib" does exist, but haven't figured out a workaround to get port to use it.

[ryandesign (Ryan Carsten Schmidt)]

We also have the report from you about this problem with cppunit: #25083

I don't know why this is happening for you. I cannot reproduce the issue. I do not have the file /usr/lib/system/libmathCommon.la either; not sure why this file's absence is being considered a problem on your system.

What version of everything are you using: Mac OS X, Xcode, MacPorts? What kind of Mac is it? Anything unusual about it you can think of? Anything installed in /usr/local or /sw?

[macports@…]

Mac OS X: 10.6.3
XCode: 3.2.2
MacPorts: 1.8.2
Macbook3,1 (Black Macbook Core2 Duo 2.2Ghz)

Fink was installed in /sw, but was removed in an attempt to clear conflicts. /usr/local has a variety of things installed, including:

git
mongodb
couchdb
cassandra
mysql
memcached
imagemagick

Do you suggest hiding the existing /usr/local and rebuilding macports and gettext?

[ryandesign (Ryan Carsten Schmidt)]

Something from /sw or /usr/local could certainly be interfering, so yes, please move them. It's hard to determine if something from /sw or /usr/local has already seeped into your MacPorts install. If you have not already installed too many ports with MacPorts and it is not too inconvenient for you, the best way to make sure is to move /sw and /usr/local elsewhere (or remove them, if you don't have any data in there that you need), then ​uninstall and ​reinstall MacPorts. Then use MacPorts to install any software you need, and in future don't use Fink or manually install software in /usr/local.

[macports@…]

Moved /usr/local to /User/patsplat/usr-local, /sw was already removed, uninstalled MacPorts, then re-installed gettext. Same problem.

[ryandesign (Ryan Carsten Schmidt)]

I'm at a loss. ​Searching Google for libmathCommon.la, the only results are the two tickets you've filed here.

[macports@…]

Unfortunately we're both on the same page. :-/ I'm going to install XCode / MacPorts / gettext on another Macbook to see what happens. The other one is white so maybe that's the difference.

[macports@…]

jk, the other one hasn't been used a dev machine so it might be cleaner :-)

[macports@…]

The other install worked, so the problem must be with the environment on my dev machine. My apologies for the runaround, but I really have tried almost everything I can think of aside from a full system wipe. Can you imagine anything else which may be causing interference?

[macports@…]

Comparison of build directories on broken vs working machine

[macports@…]

I copied the build directories from the broken and working machines and compared them. I was surprised to see they were different, when both machines are pretty similar Macbooks upgraded to Snow Leopard.

[macports@…]

I think I've figured this out, and it is not your fault though I thank you for your help. The difference was the presence of .la archives in /usr/lib confusing libtool. These were created with a modified version of fix-x11-lib.sh pulled from ​http://article.gmane.org/gmane.os.macosx.fink.devel/17289. I ran this sometime ago trying to get fink to work, and as we can tell it didn't work out. Removing the .la archives has caused gettext to build properly.

Thanks again for your help.

[macports@…]

Ryan -- want to thank you again. It helped alot to keep the focus on my system, since even a reinstall of 10.6 didn't remove the .la files that were in /usr/lib.

[ryandesign (Ryan Carsten Schmidt)]

I'm glad you found the culprit! Hope your experience with MacPorts is smooth sailing from here on out.