787931 - update the default compiler on OS X because we can't build with gcc 4.2 any longer

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Firefox Build System :: General, defect)

Description

[Jonathan Kew [:jfkthame]]

The build system chooses gcc-4.2 by default as the preferred compiler on OS X:

http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/source/build/autoconf/compiler-opts.m4#37

However, mozilla-central no longer compiles with gcc-4.2. According to bug 784029, at least, this is a deliberate decision. So we should change the default compiler to one that actually works.

(IMO, this should've been done *before* pushing known gcc-4.2-breaking code into the tree.)

Comment 2

[Gregory Szorc [:gps]]

Should also update https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Simple_Firefox_build
and https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Developer_Guide/Build_Instructions/Mac_OS_X_Prerequisites

bug 768879 might also be relevant.

Comment 3

[Benoit Girard (:BenWa)]

(In reply to Jonathan Kew (:jfkthame) from comment #0)
> (IMO, this should've been done *before* pushing known gcc-4.2-breaking code
> into the tree.)

Yes, I'm losing time because of this because I can't even compile clang from trunk ATM :(

Comment 4

[Justin Wood (:Callek)]

(In reply to Benoit Girard (:BenWa) from comment #3)
> Yes, I'm losing time because of this because I can't even compile clang from
> trunk ATM :(

BenWa fwiw, I have a copy of clang r161152

http://tooltool.pub.build.mozilla.org/temp-sm-stuff/sha512/708bf18f40edd46517c6368b6b5ad5cd05904d3c60614cdb483248e035cdca0fc905f0e72e90d94de9dccaa18270aadfe07987ab95adcc0c6bb4ce51aa292623

Its truely a .tar.bz2 file compiled for mac and should unblock you short-term.

Note this dir is explicitly *temporary* and could go away at any time.

Comment 5

[Benoit Girard (:BenWa)]

Thanks, I downloaded it.

For the record here's the error I got. Probably not worth investigating since I didn't follow any particular instruction other then building trunk then tried to build with 'svn update -r 161152':
/Users/bgirard/ben/clang/llvm/tools/llvm-ranlib/llvm-ranlib.cpp:84:53: error: too many arguments to function call, expected 3, have 4

Comment 6

[Rafael Ávila de Espíndola (:espindola) (not reading bugmail)]

Attachment: patch

https://tbpl.mozilla.org/?tree=Try&rev=90092410a82f

Comment 7

[(not currently active) Ted Mielczarek]

Comment on attachment 659694 [details] [diff] [review]
patch

Review of attachment 659694 [details] [diff] [review]:
-----------------------------------------------------------------

::: build/autoconf/compiler-opts.m4
@@ +33,5 @@
>          HOST_LDFLAGS=" "
>      fi
>      ;;
>  *-darwin*)
> +    # GCC on darwing is based on gcc 4.2 and we don't support it anymore.

"darwin"

@@ +42,2 @@
>      then
> +      echo gcc is known to be broken on OS X, please use clang.

This doesn't seem right. I'd support a check for gcc 4.2 that errors out to prevent the common case, but we should let people build with stock GCC if they have a new enough version.

Comment 8

[Rafael Ávila de Espíndola (:espindola) (not reading bugmail)]

Attachment: fix typo

I don't think that non apple gcc will work. We use an API that uses blocks in ./widget/cocoa/nsChildView.mm:

 usingHandler:^(CGFloat gestureAmount, NSEventPhase phase, BOOL isComplete, BOOL *stop) {

Comment 9

[Gregory Szorc [:gps]]

Comment on attachment 659696 [details] [diff] [review]
fix typo

Review of attachment 659696 [details] [diff] [review]:
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Can you make the error message helpful? Perhaps drop a link to an MDN page saying how to ensure you have a proper compiler. I'm content with this being a follow-up because not having this specific patch in the tree is causing a lot of developer pain. For that reason, I support landing this directly in m-c.

Comment 10

[Gregory Szorc [:gps]]

> I don't think that non apple gcc will work. We use an API that uses blocks
> in ./widget/cocoa/nsChildView.mm:

Correct. See also bug 700772.

Comment 11

[Rafael Ávila de Espíndola (:espindola) (not reading bugmail)]

https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/rev/ebd88961b3c3

Leaving open until we add a more useful error message.

Comment 13

[Rafael Ávila de Espíndola (:espindola) (not reading bugmail)]

Attachment: Add better error message.

Add better error message.

Comment 14

[Rafael Ávila de Espíndola (:espindola) (not reading bugmail)]

https://hg.mozilla.org/integration/mozilla-inbound/rev/e21afef2e576

Comment 15

[Ryan VanderMeulen [:RyanVM]]

https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/rev/e21afef2e576