Failed to build xorg-libAppleWM on Mavericks

[markus@…]

I upgraded to Mavericks and reinstalled MacPorts 2.2.1. But I am still not able to build xorg-libAppleWM. Reason: HIServices/Processes.h file not found.

[markus@…]

MacPorts log file

[mf2k (Frank Schima)]

In the future, please fill in the Port field and Cc the port maintainers (port info --maintainers xorg-libAppleWM).

FYI:

$ port -v installed xorg-libAppleWM
The following ports are currently installed:
  xorg-libAppleWM @1.4.1_0 (active) platform='darwin 13' archs='x86_64'

[jeremyhu (Jeremy Huddleston Sequoia)]

:info:build applewm.c:43:10: fatal error: 'HIServices/Processes.h' file not found

User error. Please install MacPorts dependencies (command line tools)

[qwertjadaml@…]

Dear jeremyhu@…,

I took the strength to be kind despite your “User error” statement—which I try my best not to note it further on—and try to take my time to explain it to you, that the issue clearly exists and valid, as in the compiler cannot find the “HIServices/Processes.h” file, and that fact is anything but a user error. (Unless you referring yourself.)

I personally use the "sudo port upgrade outdated -uR" command line to perform the full upgrade—right after "sudo port selfupdate"—which because of this error it does not fully finish.

Apple seems to quite freely changes their API, so it wouldn't surprise me, if something has changed regarding header file or library locations or rearrangement. I couldn't find the header file, however I could find the HIServices.framework.

Your next sentence however implies that either the necessary dependencies are not installed, which is absurd, since MacPort installs all required port marked as depending port for that particular port; or you're asking the user to install the MacPorts Dependencies command line tools, which seems to be non-existent.

Do you think you can take a look in to it what is the issue is, or you're not convinced by all these that it is actually an issue here?

[larryv (Lawrence Velázquez)]

Replying to qwertjadaml@…:

I took the strength to be kind despite your “User error” statement—which I try my best not to note it further on—and try to take my time to explain it to you, that the issue clearly exists and valid, as in the compiler cannot find the “HIServices/Processes.h” file, and that fact is anything but a user error. (Unless you referring yourself.)

Jeremy is just curt sometimes. Don’t take stuff so personally.

you're asking the user to install the MacPorts Dependencies command line tools, which seems to be non-existent.

He means the command-line tools provided by Xcode, which (among other things) install various system headers into /usr/include. Please try running the following commands and attach your new main.log if the build still fails.

% xcode-select --install
% sudo port clean xorg-libAppleWM
% sudo port install xorg-libAppleWM

[jeremyhu (Jeremy Huddleston Sequoia)]

Replying to qwertjadaml@…:

Dear jeremyhu@…,

I took the strength to be kind despite your “User error” statement—which I try my best not to note it further on—and try to take my time to explain it to you, that the issue clearly exists and valid, as in the compiler cannot find the “HIServices/Processes.h” file, and that fact is anything but a user error. (Unless you referring yourself.)

I apologize for being quick in response to this. With every OS release, MacPorts get a bunch of reports like this because users do not follow the proper upgrade procedures.

In your case, the missing file is not our fault and does not warrant a bug.

Apple seems to quite freely changes their API, so it wouldn't surprise me, if something has changed regarding header file or library locations or rearrangement. I couldn't find the header file, however I could find the HIServices.framework.

You have not installed the SDK which is why the file is missing.

Your next sentence however implies that either the necessary dependencies are not installed, which is absurd, since MacPort installs all required port marked as depending port for that particular port; or you're asking the user to install the MacPorts Dependencies command line tools, which seems to be non-existent.

Yes, you must install Xcode and the command line tools.

Do you think you can take a look in to it what is the issue is, or you're not convinced by all these that it is actually an issue here?

We know what the issue is. You have not installed the SDK. Because of the slew of reports we get about this issue every release, we have been talking on macports-dev for the past few weeks about this and are also looking into detecting this for you and referring users to the FAQ instead of fending off hundreds of invalid bug reports.

[markus@…]

In my case the command line tools did not install properly. The compiler was fine, but the SDK seemed to be missing or broken. I downloaded the command line tools from the apple developer site and installed them. This fixed the problem for me.

[qwertjadaml@…]

OK, thank you for your response and clarification.

Jeremy is just curt sometimes. Don’t take stuff so personally.

Nothing personal, I'm just really tired to see the seriously unhelpful error message “user error”—that describes more about the nature of the user rather than the error and doesn't even help how to troubleshoot the error—seen many times on early Windows versions and programs. (Come to think of it, I barely met it on recent versions.) But (mostly to self) lets get over that.

I apologize for being quick in response to this. With every OS release, MacPorts get a bunch of reports like this because users do not follow the proper upgrade procedures.

I wasn't around here since recently, so I'm not quite aware of this, but I roughly can imagine how it goes.

Yes, you must install Xcode and the command line tools.

Funny it may be, but I tried my best to take care both of those before I bother to install anything with MacPorts, and I thought everything is OK with that.

To my own defence, Apple just have slightly changed how Xcode handles download-able content, and in their download section there was no command line tools as an option, but later figured that ‘cc’ still somehow works, as well as there was an option to select the compiler, so I figured I'm OK. Also I had the SDK on my system, but it wasn't “staged” in their proper place to be seen my MacPorts build mechanism, as I've found out today. (It was under /Application/Xcode.app/…)

And just after I came back here to report this, I've tried xcode-select as larry suggested, and the apple updater immediately popped up that this should be installed. (Which is strange to me, since I've just read it's man page before I run it… or I misunderstood something, and additional programs were installed.)

You have not installed the SDK. Because of the slew of reports we get about this issue every release, we have been talking on macports-dev for the past few weeks about this and are also looking into detecting this for you and referring users to the FAQ instead of fending off hundreds of invalid bug reports.

That would be great, especially that Xcode just changed how it is installs the command line tools that I've just pointed out, that it isn't clear to me how to do that now. (in fact, I'm so confused now, that I'm not sure if I did it at all. Because Apple wants it simple…)

It would also be nice, if Google could point to a page that clarifies both what you encounter with every Mac upgrade, and what just I've encountered—if such page exists that is.

Thanks for the help, and I hope that my encounter helps a tiny-bit more in the future.

Ps.: I have a feeling, that you may encounter such bug-report more than with any other upgrade before with this version of Xcode.

[jeremyhu (Jeremy Huddleston Sequoia)]

Yes, the Mavericks upgrade is a bit less forgiving that other transitions because of the Xcode change, libc++ change, and our internal change to remove .la files from destroot.

Thanks. If you have any other concerns, please do join in the conversation on the mailing lists.