HarfBuzz configure script fails if gtkdocize is not available

[boegel]

When installing HarfBuzz-2.8.1-GCCcore-10.3.0.eb with --filter-deps=Autoconf,Automake,Autotools, I'm seeing this:

autoreconf-2.71: configure.ac: not using Intltool
autoreconf-2.71: running: gtkdocize --copy
Can't exec "gtkdocize": No such file or directory at /cvmfs/pilot.eessi-hpc.org/versions/2021.12/compat/linux/x86_64/usr/share/autoconf-2.71/Autom4te/FileUtils.pm line 294.
autoreconf-2.71: error: gtkdocize failed with exit status: 2

It seems there's a change in Autoconf 2.71 that's triggering this problem, it's blindly trying to run gtkdocize without actually checking if it's available?!

Similar problem with cairo: spack/spack#23964

[boegel]

See also https://savannah.gnu.org/support/?110503

[branfosj]

In my output (without the --filter-deps) I see (I've removed the long paths from this output):

== 2021-11-02 16:55:53,242 run.py:582 INFO cmd "./autogen.sh &&  ./configure --prefix=/rds/bear-apps/2021a/EL8-ice/software/HarfBuzz/2.8.1-GCCcore-10.3.0 --enable-introspection=yes --with-gobject=yes --enable-static --enable-shared --with-cairo " exited with exit code 0 and output:
checking for pkg-config... /rds/bear-apps/2021a/EL8-ice/software/pkg-config/0.29.2-GCCcore-10.3.0/bin/pkg-config
checking for libtoolize... which: no glibtoolize in ...
/rds/bear-apps/2021a/EL8-ice/software/libtool/2.4.6-GCCcore-10.3.0/bin/libtoolize
checking for gtkdocize... which: no gtkdocize in ...
*** No gtkdocize (gtk-doc) found, skipping documentation ***
checking for autoreconf... /rds/bear-apps/2021a/EL8-ice/software/Autoconf/2.71-GCCcore-10.3.0/bin/autoreconf
running autoreconf --force --install --verbose
autoreconf: export WARNINGS=
autoreconf: Entering directory '.'
autoreconf: configure.ac: not using Gettext
autoreconf: running: aclocal --force -I m4
autoreconf: configure.ac: tracing
autoreconf: running: libtoolize --copy --force
libtoolize: putting auxiliary files in '.'.
libtoolize: copying file './ltmain.sh'
libtoolize: putting macros in AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIRS, 'm4'.
libtoolize: copying file 'm4/libtool.m4'
libtoolize: copying file 'm4/ltoptions.m4'
libtoolize: copying file 'm4/ltsugar.m4'
libtoolize: copying file 'm4/ltversion.m4'
libtoolize: copying file 'm4/lt~obsolete.m4'
autoreconf: configure.ac: not using Intltool
autoreconf: configure.ac: not using Gtkdoc
autoreconf: running: aclocal --force -I m4
autoreconf: running: /rds/bear-apps/2021a/EL8-ice/software/Autoconf/2.71-GCCcore-10.3.0/bin/autoconf --force

[boegel]

@branfosj So with the vanilla Autoconf 2.71 there's no problem... :-/

[branfosj]

This is the autogen.sh script it is running and where the `gtkdocize check is made: https://github.com/harfbuzz/harfbuzz/blob/main/autogen.sh

printf "checking for gtkdocize... "
if which gtkdocize ; then
	gtkdocize --copy || exit 1
else
	echo "*** No gtkdocize (gtk-doc) found, skipping documentation ***"
	echo "EXTRA_DIST = " > gtk-doc.make
fi

[boegel]

That's... interesting. Because here's the more complete output I'm seeing, where both the "No gtkdocize" output is there, yet it's still trying to run gtkdocize --copy:

checking for gtkdocize... which: no gtkdocize in (<...long $PATH value omitted...>)
*** No gtkdocize (gtk-doc) found, skipping documentation ***
checking for autoreconf... /cvmfs/pilot.eessi-hpc.org/versions/2021.12/compat/linux/x86_64/usr/bin/autoreconf
running autoreconf --force --install --verbose
autoreconf-2.71: export WARNINGS=
autoreconf-2.71: Entering directory '.'
autoreconf-2.71: configure.ac: not using Gettext
autoreconf-2.71: running: aclocal --force -I m4
autoreconf-2.71: configure.ac: tracing
autoreconf-2.71: running: libtoolize --copy --force
libtoolize: putting auxiliary files in '.'.
libtoolize: copying file './ltmain.sh'
libtoolize: putting macros in AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIRS, 'm4'.
libtoolize: copying file 'm4/libtool.m4'
libtoolize: copying file 'm4/ltoptions.m4'
libtoolize: copying file 'm4/ltsugar.m4'
libtoolize: copying file 'm4/ltversion.m4'
libtoolize: copying file 'm4/lt~obsolete.m4'
autoreconf-2.71: configure.ac: not using Intltool
autoreconf-2.71: running: gtkdocize --copy
Can't exec "gtkdocize": No such file or directory at /cvmfs/pilot.eessi-hpc.org/versions/2021.12/compat/linux/x86_64/usr/share/autoconf-2.71/Autom4te/FileUtils.pm line 294.
autoreconf-2.71: error: gtkdocize failed with exit status: 2

[boegel]

Quick (and dirty) workaround that works is to use this in the HarfBuzz easyconfig:

preconfigopts = "GTKDOCIZE=echo ./autogen.sh && "

[boegel]

fixed in #16570