250101 - Frequent reports of build failures in mozilla/rdf/chrome/src (nsChromeRegistry::UninstallPackage)

Status: RESOLVED INVALID

(Firefox Build System :: General, enhancement)

Description

[Nick Thomas [:nthomas] (UTC+12)]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.7) Gecko/20040629 Firefox/0.9.1
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.7) Gecko/20040629 Firefox/0.9.1

The need to use a mozconfig with at least the standard options to compile
Firefox & Thunderbird does not have a high enough profile. Consequently, many
people using unix or unix-like OS are downloading the source tarballs and using
only ./configure; make to build the Aviary, and get the following error:

nsChromeRegistry.cpp:2693: prototype for `nsresult
nsChromeRegistry::UninstallPackage(const PRUnichar *, int)' does not match any
in class `nsChromeRegistry'
nsChromeRegistry.h:76: candidate is: nsresult
nsChromeRegistry::UninstallPackage(const nsACString &, int) 

in mozilla/rdf/chrome/src.

For example, bug 247292, bug 247389, and several threads at the Mozillazine
forums (search for UninstallPackage).

I suggest a line be added to the release notes, which points to the build pages
at http://www.mozilla.org/projects/firefox/build.html, and
http://mozilla.org/projects/thunderbird/build.html
Or, it may be helpful to add a file in the mozilla/ directory, called INSTALL in
the usual Linux fashion, which points to the same locations.

Given the growing popularity of the 'birds, the unusual Mozilla build system,
and the tendency of linux/unix users to prefer to roll their own, this change
will save many questions and frustrated people.

Reproducible: Always
Steps to Reproduce:

Comment 1

[Nick Thomas [:nthomas] (UTC+12)]

I see that mozilla/browser/README.html has the firefox build link, but this
location is not obvious to someone new to Mozilla projects.

Comment 2

[Alex Liberman]

GEEEZUS YOU GUYS COULD AT LEAST PUT THIS IN THE README -- DUH ---

Comment 3

[Mike Connor [:mconnor]]

if you're going to attempt to build Firefox without reading instructions, you'll
run into problems, period.  If you're not prepared to think like a developer,
don't do things that are generally intended for developers.  We provide official
binaries, and most major Linux distros provide packages for Firefox/Thunderbird.

This isn't a blocker, which isn't say that having build instructions in the
source tarballs is a bad thing or no one should do this, but if it doesn't
happen we'll still release the apps.

Comment 4

[Cyrille DELON]

This one is easy to fix :
in mozilla/rdf/chrome/src/nsCromeRegistry.cpp
on line 2693
You just have to change :

nsChromeRegistry::UninstallPackage(const PRUnichar* aPackageName, PRBool 
useprofile);

by this corrected line :

nsChromeRegistry::UninstallPackage(const nsACString& aPackageName, PRBool 
useprofile);

For more comprehension, see the function prototype in nsChromeRegistry.h.

Comment 5

[Christian :Biesinger (don't email me, ping me on IRC)]

that would be the wrong fix since firefox isn't supposed to be using rdf/chrome.
you are not following the build instructions.

Comment 6

[Mike Connor [:mconnor]]

thought about this more.  The developer site has clear build instructions.  If
people aren't prepared to read them, then building the lizard is something
they're better off not doing.

Comment 7

[Nick Thomas [:nthomas] (UTC+12)]

I disagree that the build instructions are clear. Ben's document refers people
to the Mozilla instructions and then goes on to Firefox specific information.
But the mozilla doc's are quite complete, and therefore quite complicated, and
the emphasis should be on Firefox specific information. A re-arrangement of the
page would help here. A quickstart section on build commands would make the
instructions more complete, then throw to the Mozilla docs for the detail. 

Comment 8

[Mike Connor [:mconnor]]

I've referred dozens of people there on IRC, I can't think of anyone who's
actually come back with unanswered questions, unless their build setup wasn't
done right.

I don't think we need to rehash/duplicate the main Mozilla instructions in any
part, since that's just forking the docs to lower the bar for building.  Not to
be elitist or anything, but if you can't build with the instructions provided,
and/or don't read/look for docs, then you probably don't need to be building
Moz.  If you're not doing active development, there's dubious benefit to rolling
your own.