OpenBLAS @0.3.4_1 forces system AR and RANLIB but this errors on older systems

[kencu (Ken)]

The Portfile does this:

# Using system ones as default is set to bin/gcc-ar which does not
# exist, and using gcc-mp ones end up in an error about a missing
# plugin. (see ticket #38551 for example)
build.args          "AR=/usr/bin/ar RANLIB=/usr/bin/ranlib"

but on some systems, that results in the following, because the system cctools are too old to understand the objects coming out of the newer compilers (usually clang-3.9+):

ar: creating archive ../libopenblas-r1.a
/usr/bin/ranlib: object: ../libopenblas-r1.a(comatcopy.o) malformed object (unknown load command 2)
/usr/bin/ar: internal ranlib command failed
make[1]: *** [libs] Error 1
make[1]: Leaving directory `/opt/local/var/macports/build/_opt_local_var_macports_sources_rsync.macports.org_release_tarballs_ports_math_OpenBLAS/OpenBLAS/work/OpenBLAS-0.3.4/interface'

I don't presently have a well-thought-out plan for what to do with this issue. This force went into the Portfile a long time ago for a gcc related issue. Probably need to have a dependency on cctools and then force the build to use those, but which systems crossed with which compilers has not been fully worked out yet.

[kencu (Ken)]

OpenBLAS builds on all the builders it seems. It's only when newer compilers are defaulted on older systems that this comes up. Fix is:

depends_build-append port:cctools
build.args           "AR=${prefix}/bin/ar RANLIB=${prefix}/bin/ranlib"

for anyone who stumbles upon this.

[NicosPavlov]

Thanks for the comment. I did not notice, but it indeed seems that forcing the use of system's ar and ranlib is not needed anymore in several cases.

I tried on Mojave, and several combinations of compilers build properly even without that line in the Portfile.

[kencu (Ken)]

I was going to suggest just removing the line, but in face I got an error. I didn't record it -- something link /opt/local/bin/mp-ar not found, IIRC.

So ... dunno. Probably could fix it with a combo of system < 10 and configure.compiler matches *clang* tests, if we wanted to .

I can do that sometime in the next while if you like.

[michaelld (Michael Dickens)]

I encountered this issue today when trying to get OpenBLAS to install on 10.6 (along with that it uses the wrong compiler, but that's a different issue). My fix is to tweak the line in question to just read "AR=${prefix}/bin/ar" and "RANLIB=${prefix}/bin/ranlib" and then add "depends_build-append port:cctools". This works for me on 10.6 and 10.14 ... so, guessing it will also on other Intel systems inbetween. I don't think OpenBLAS can compile on PPC anyway, so that would leave just OSX 10.[45] Intel systems that I can't do testing on since I don't have an install available to do so. is this a reasonable solution?

[michaelld (Michael Dickens)]

@kencu: just saw your "fix" above, same as mine LOL.

[michaelld (Michael Dickens)]

My vote here: If Ken's (and now my) change works and adds just "cctools" as a dependency, then let's go with it.

[kencu (Ken)]

Looks like with some motivation we might get OpenBLAS to build on PPC (there is a Power makefile to use as a starting point). Dunno if there is any interest. I just tried for a lark and got nowhere with the current Portfile.

I have only seen the AR & RANLIB errors on 10.6 and less so far, and only with newer clangs (3.9+). But enabling it in all cases for systems < 10.7 seems like an easy fix and harmless to me. Another thing it would be nice to do in base, if all builds respected those env vars.

[michaelld (Michael Dickens)]

I tried for a bit on PPC as well & got nowhere ... fast or slow! I tried doing the build by hand & got nowhere. I'm just thinking of disabling OpenBLAS for PPC for the moment. Got bigger fish to fry right now!

[michaelld (Michael Dickens)]

I'm going to go ahead with our change then. It seems to work where needed & doesn't seem to harm otherwise.

[michaelld (Michael Dickens)]

In f11769c79eda6b36f352fad663e307fac5fe636b/macports-ports (master):

OpenBLAS: use AR and RANLIB from port:cctools for building

Fixes build on older OSX, and doesn't seem to harm newer OSX.

Closes: #57797