graphviz @2.40.1: configure: error: cannot find output from flex; giving up

[websdotnet]

When porting GNURadio on OSX 10.14.4 (Mojave) with Xcode 10.2.1 and XQuartz 2.7.11, it fails to configure graphviz.

--->  Configuring graphviz
Error: Failed to configure graphviz, consult /opt/local/var/macports/build/_opt_local_var_macports_sources_rsync.macports.org_release_tarballs_ports_graphics_graphviz/graphviz/work/graphviz-2.40.1/config.log
Error: Failed to configure graphviz: configure failure: command execution failed
Error: See /opt/local/var/macports/logs/_opt_local_var_macports_sources_rsync.macports.org_release_tarballs_ports_graphics_graphviz/graphviz/main.log for details.
Error: Follow https://guide.macports.org/#project.tickets to report a bug.
Error: Processing of port gnuradio failed

[mf2k (Frank Schima)]

In the future, please use WikiFormatting, fill in the Port field and add the port maintainer(s) to Cc (port info --maintainers graphviz), if any.

[mf2k (Frank Schima)]

Error is:

:info:configure checking for flex... flex
:info:configure checking lex output file root... configure: error: cannot find output from flex; giving up
:info:configure Command failed:  cd "/opt/local/var/macports/build/_opt_local_var_macports_sources_rsync.macports.org_release_tarballs_ports_graphics_graphviz/graphviz/work/graphviz-2.40.1" && ./configure --prefix=/opt/local --disable-silent-rules --with-codegens --without-devil --without-smyrna --with-digcola --with-ipsepcola --without-rsvg --with-pangocairo --with-lasi --with-webp --without-glitz --with-freetype2 --with-fontconfig --without-gdk-pixbuf --without-ghostscript --without-gtk --without-gtkgl --without-gtkglext --with-gts --without-glade --without-gnomeui --without-ming --without-poppler --without-qt --with-quartz --disable-swig --disable-sharp --disable-guile --disable-io --disable-java --disable-lua --disable-ocaml --disable-perl --disable-php --disable-python --disable-python23 --disable-python24 --disable-python25 --disable-r --disable-ruby --disable-tcl ac_cv_prog_AWK=/usr/bin/awk

[kencu (Ken)]

This exact error comes up every few years in random ports. On one occasion, the user had stuff installed in /usr/local from homebrew, and it was thought that might be the cause.

On the other occasions, nobody seems to have been able to figure out what the issue was. It is not a reproducible error.

Best I can suggest to you is to look in /opt/local/var/macports/build/ and see if there are any partially-completed builds in there. If there are, sudo port clean them until that directory is empty. Then restart your system to completely reset everything, and try that build again.

[ryandesign (Ryan Carsten Schmidt)]

Duplicate of #44381.

[ryandesign (Ryan Carsten Schmidt)]

Sorry, I'm wrong. #44381 is asking us to add a dependency on MacPorts flex because macOS flex is allegedly unable to build this port. However in your log here it shows you are already using MacPorts flex, so adding that dependency would have no effect for you.

[mascguy (Christopher Nielsen)]

We just updated graphviz-devel to 2.48.0. Can you retest with that (after first running sudo port selfupdate)?

[jjstickel (Jonathan Stickel)]

In 564fd38ea3598b80f10c97146e28809313c22d70/macports-ports (master):

graphviz: update to 2.48.0

Closes: #63169
Closes: #62165
Closes: #61800
Closes: #59026
Closes: #58457