emacs fails to build in default configuration of +nativecomp on i386 10.6 Snow Leopard as libgccjit is unavailable

[rmottola (Riccardo)]

On 10.6 32bit emacs fail to compile:

checking for dlfunc... no
sort: invalid option -- V
Try `sort --help' for more information.
2023-10-07 19:47:11.113 tclsh8.6[44544:903] CFPreferences: user home directory at file://localhost/opt/local/var/macports/home/ is unavailable. User domains will be volatile.
grep: write error: Broken pipe
checking for gcc_jit_context_acquire in -lgccjit... no
configure: error: ELisp native compiler was requested, but libgccjit was not found.
Please try installing libgccjit or a similar package.
If you are sure you want Emacs be compiled without ELisp native compiler,
pass the --without-native-compilation option to configure.

I wonder what is failing here; I was able to compile emacs on 10.6 64bit. It could be that sort fails and that makes the test fail?

[rmottola (Riccardo)]

build log

[kencu (Ken)]

gcc_jit is specifically disabled on i386:

if {${subport} eq ${name} && ${build_arch} ne "i386"} {
    # jit compiler is not building on i386 systems
    # https://trac.macports.org/ticket/61130
    lappend gcc_configure_langs jit
}

I did that several years ago, and also closed this ticket #61130 about the issue.

With enthusiasm, effort, and some input from Iain, it is not inconceivable that could be repaired to work on i386, though. Perhaps it has even been fixed already -- you could try re-enabling it and see if it still fails.

[rmottola (Riccardo)]

@kencu then perhaps this option is incompatible with the native compiler of Emacs? how can it be disabled?

We can work with Iain of course to reinstantiate it.

Is this x86-32bit dependent? so it shall apply on 10.5 too, I suppose.

[kencu (Ken)]

try building emacs with the default variant +nativecomp disabled (and might as well turn off +treesitter too, while you sort thing out):

% port info emacs
emacs @29.1_2 (editors)
Sub-ports:            emacs-devel, emacs-app, emacs-app-devel
Variants:             dbus, gtk, imagemagick, motif, [+]nativecomp,
                      [+]treesitter, universal, x11, xwidgets

sudo port -v install emacs -nativecomp -treesitter

[kencu (Ken)]

yes, sure -- you can say why is the variant +nativecomp turned on by default on a system (i386) where it is impossible to build it?

AND for that, we welcome your input for further fixes, as MacPorts is not perfect yet and never will be, but it is evolutionary!

[rmottola (Riccardo)]

Replying to kencu:

sudo port -v install emacs -nativecomp -treesitter

I just added "-nativecomp" and that fixed it, I have a working emacs on 10. 32bit. Comes up, menus show.. looks fine, further testing pending, of course. Disabling treesitter is not needed.

[rmottola (Riccardo)]

Replying to kencu:

yes, sure -- you can say why is the variant +nativecomp turned on by default on a system (i386) where it is impossible to build it?

AND for that, we welcome your input for further fixes, as MacPorts is not perfect yet and never will be, but it is evolutionary!ù

sorry - take no offence, I was just asking if that was the correct variant and if somebody had thought about it. I know I test lesser used combinations and I appreciate MacPorts efforts. It wasn't a critique.

[rmottola (Riccardo)]

Ancillary question: I notice emacs menus have a msaller font size.. is that intentional? or an effect of my older systems? I didn't even know it was possible, never seen that used.