Can't compile sixel-sys on windows or macOS (works fine in linux)

[mmulet]

On Windows: I get this error:

rror: failed to run custom build command for `sixel-sys v0.3.1`

Caused by:
  process didn't exit successfully: `V:\Documents\viuertest\sixel-sys-test\target\debug\build\sixel-sys-f5b3ec906222e763\build-script-build` (exit code: 101)
  --- stdout
  cargo:rustc-link-lib=dylib=sixel
  cargo:rustc-link-search=native=V:\Documents\viuertest\sixel-sys-test\target\debug\build\sixel-sys-060e93a697b4af5b\out\lib

  --- stderr
  thread 'main' panicked at 'Failed to execute ./configure: Os { code: 2, kind: NotFound, message: "The system cannot find the file specified." }', C:\Users\micha\.cargo\registry\src\github.tiyicn.workers.dev-1ecc6299db9ec823\sixel-sys-0.3.1\build.rs:71:22

On macOS I get this:

--- stderr
thread 'main' panicked at 'Failed to execute ./configure: OS {code: 2, kind: NotFound, message: "No such file or directory" }', /users/michaelmulet/.cargo/registry/src/github.tiyicn.workers.dev-1ecc6299db9ec823/sixel-sys-0.3.1/build.rs:71:22
configure: WARNING: unrecognized options: --without-python
configure : WARNING: unrecognized options: --without-python

If I try to build with RUST_BACKTRACE=1, then it says the error is at

build_script_build::main
at ./build.rs:71:9

Tracing it backwards, that just tells us that configure failed.

[mmulet]

Found the source of the error. It's a bug with std::proccess::Command.
tldr;
Create a dummy file named configure in the project root directory and everything works.

Actual Explanation:
In the current version of rust (1.49.0 at time of writing) the std::proccess::Command constructor std::process::Command::new takes in a &str as an argument. This argument is then interpreted in a OS dependent way.
On macOS, but not Linux, std::proccess::Command::new will attempt to find the command if it is a relative path. However, this is not the location of the actual command because we use the .current_dir() method to change the current working directory.
So, on macOS, at std::proccess::Command::new the relative path you pass in must be a valid path relative to the working directory of the calling proccess and a valid path relative to the directory passed to .current_dir().

I will create a bug report for the rust standard library, but in the meantime you can fix this with an ease workaround:
Create a dummy file named configure in the project root directory. This way the relative path will be valid in both contexts.

[mmulet]

For future reference here is the rust bug report: rust-lang/rust#80819

[mmulet]

PR for fix:rust-lang/rust#80537

[AdnoC]

I haven't touched this in a while, but I'll fix when I have the time.

[pjschinske]

I seem to be getting this bug on Archlinux and FreeBSD, even after creating the configure file as it is in mmulet's commit. Am I missing something?

[sravanpannala]

Do you have any updates on this issue?

[AdnoC]

Working on this now. Sorry for the lack of response. Pretty sure I was out of town when I replied last and forgot about this by the time I got back. I've been swamped with a new job.

[AdnoC]

I have released a new version that should fix the issues here (along with rust-lang fixing the stdlib bug). Going to see if my macbook still boots to verify that this fixes compilation on MacOS, but it now compiles fine on ubuntu. I don't believe this will ever compile on Windows, as the libsixel library does not support direct Windows compilation, requiring MinGW.

[AdnoC]

I have tested the new version on my macbook. It compiles without issue. Probably won't be able to confirm mingw compilation tonight, but will try to get it done soon.

[AdnoC]

An update on Windows compilation: I swapped to the autotools crate to compile libsixel, but that errors when I try to compile in MinGW.

I'll see if github actions offers mac boxes and if so I'll close this issue and open a windows only one linking this.