problem with autoconf

[Ryan Schmidt]

On May 15, 2008, at 4:09 AM, Luca Reghellin wrote:

> iMac G5 1.8 Panther 10.3.9
>
> ----
>
> I've just installef MacPorts via .dmg
>
> I want to install ruby and rubygems. the ruby installation failed.  
> They
> said I needed autoconf, so I cleaned ruby, uninstalled all the  
> ports so
> that 'port installed' said that no port was installed, and start an
> autoconf installation, but had errors:
>
> Computer-di-luca:~ luca$ sudo port install autoconf
[snip]
> --->  Building libtool with target all
> Error: Target org.macports.build returned: shell command " cd
> "/opt/local/var/macports/build/ 
> _opt_local_var_macports_sources_rsync.macports.org_release_ports_devel 
> _libtool/work/libtool-1.5.26"
> && make all " returned error 2
> Command output: cd . && /bin/sh
> /opt/local/var/macports/build/ 
> _opt_local_var_macports_sources_rsync.macports.org_release_ports_devel 
> _libtool/work/libtool-1.5.26/missing
> --run autoconf
> aclocal.m4:20: warning: this file was generated for autoconf 2.61.
> You have another version of autoconf.  It may work, but is not  
> guaranteed to.
> If you have problems, you may need to regenerate the build system  
> entirely.
> To do so, use the procedure documented by the package, typically
> `autoreconf'.
> configure.ac:55: error: Autoconf version 2.60 or higher is required
> aclocal.m4:475: AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE is expanded from...
> configure.ac:55: the top level
> autom4te: /usr/bin/gm4 failed with exit status: 1
> make: *** [configure] Error 1
>
> Error: The following dependencies failed to build: libtool m4
> Error: Status 1 encountered during processing.
>
> ----------------
>
> So, what's the matter? Can you help me please? I'm not a unix  
> programmer.. :(

It sounds like there is a circular dependency. autoconf declares a  
dependency on libtool, and libtool apparently requires autoconf, but  
does not declare the dependency. On Tiger and higher that apparently  
works fine because Tiger and higher include at least autoconf 2.60,  
but on Panther and lower I guess the included autoconf is too old. I  
don't know how we're going to resolve this one.

Panther is unfortunately not well supported by MacPorts anymore. You  
may run into other issues. I just set up a Panther test machine  
myself, but haven't gotten to testing much on it yet. Most of the  
other contributors probably only have Tiger or Leopard. If possible,  
consider upgrading.