xemacs @21.4.22_15+sumo: Malformed UTF-8 character: \xe4\x2c\x20

[wealthychef1]

I think the command line output says it all:

root@Richs-MBP : uname -a
Darwin Richs-MacBook-Pro.local 19.0.0 Darwin Kernel Version 19.0.0: Sat Oct 19 23:25:33 PDT 2019; root:xnu-6153.41.3~36/RELEASE_X86_64 x86_64

root@Richs-MBP : port install xemacs
--->  Computing dependencies for xemacs
--->  Fetching archive for xemacs
--->  Attempting to fetch xemacs-21.4.22_15+sumo.darwin_19.x86_64.tbz2 from https://packages.macports.org/xemacs
--->  Attempting to fetch xemacs-21.4.22_15+sumo.darwin_19.x86_64.tbz2 from http://nue.de.packages.macports.org/xemacs
--->  Attempting to fetch xemacs-21.4.22_15+sumo.darwin_19.x86_64.tbz2 from http://lil.fr.packages.macports.org/xemacs
--->  Fetching distfiles for xemacs
--->  Verifying checksums for xemacs
--->  Extracting xemacs
--->  Applying patches to xemacs
--->  Configuring xemacs
--->  Building xemacs
Error: Failed to build xemacs: command execution failed
Error: See /opt/local/var/macports/logs/_opt_local_var_macports_sources_rsync.macports.org_macports_release_tarballs_ports_editors_xemacs/xemacs/main.log for details.
Error: Follow https://guide.macports.org/#project.tickets to report a bug.
Error: Processing of port xemacs failed

And when I look in the log mentioned I see:

:info:build Malformed UTF-8 character: \xe4\x2c\x20 (unexpected non-continuation byte 0x2c, immediately after start byte 0xe4; need 3 bytes, got 1) in pattern match (m//) at /opt/local/share/texinfo/Texinfo/ParserNonXS.pm line 3364.
:info:build Malformed UTF-8 character (fatal) at /opt/local/share/texinfo/Texinfo/ParserNonXS.pm line 3364.
:info:build make[1]: *** [../info/xemacs-faq.info] Error 25

[dstrubbe (David Strubbe)]

On my machine at least, this fails for texinfo 6.7 but works for texinfo 6.6.

[mouse07410 (Mouse)]

Any luck resolving this issue?

[dstrubbe (David Strubbe)]

Not sure. I suggest using the workaround: use texinfo 6.6 not the latest version.

[mouse07410 (Mouse)]

Looks like this one isn't likely to be fixed soon.

How can I downgrade texinfo 6.7 to 6.6?

[dstrubbe (David Strubbe)]

If you have it installed already, then just activate it: sudo port activate texinfo @6.6_0

If not, deactivate your current texinfo, and then take the old Portfile ​https://github.com/macports/macports-ports/blob/88ea58499404818b508cb19e6064716e2d2c9317/textproc/texinfo/Portfile, save it, and do sudo port install.

The upgrade command will not automatically upgrade ports where you activated or installed an old version.

[mouse07410 (Mouse)]

If you have it installed already, then just activate it... If not, deactivate your current texinfo, and then take the old Portfile...

Thank you - that part worked. I got @texinfo-6.6_0 installed and activated. But...!

The upgrade command will not automatically upgrade ports where you activated or installed an old version.

Alas, wrong. Both sudo port upgrade outdated and even sudo port install xemacs immediately wipe my texinfo @6.6_0 and replace it with @6.7_0

--->  Cleaning cctools
--->  Computing dependencies for texinfo
--->  Fetching archive for texinfo
--->  Attempting to fetch texinfo-6.7_0.darwin_19.x86_64.tbz2 from https://packages.macports.org/texinfo
--->  Attempting to fetch texinfo-6.7_0.darwin_19.x86_64.tbz2.rmd160 from https://packages.macports.org/texinfo
--->  Installing texinfo @6.7_0
--->  Cleaning texinfo
--->  Computing dependencies for texinfo
--->  Deactivating texinfo @6.6_0
--->  Cleaning texinfo
--->  Activating texinfo @6.7_0
--->  Cleaning texinfo
--->  Scanning binaries for linking errors
--->  No broken files found.                             
--->  No broken ports found.
--->  Uninstalling cctools @927.0.2_1+xcode
--->  Cleaning cctools
--->  Uninstalling texinfo @6.6_0
--->  Cleaning texinfo

So, what do we do to get X11-capable xemacs (which can throw display window to my remote machine) installed???

[mouse07410 (Mouse)]

Hmm... The trick appears to be to not uninstall texinfo @6.7_0, but just deactivate it.

The cost of this is that when a lot of ports get updated (which happens more often than not), one can't use "port uninstall inactive" any more - all the inactive ports would have to be removed manually (to avoid this texinfo 6.6_0 -> 6.7_0 rigamarole).

Is there a chance for a real fix for this problem?

[dstrubbe (David Strubbe)]

Perhaps we can fix by a patch as suggested here: ​https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1767827