[Haskell-cafe] Haskell Platform 2014 build problems on OS X

[Nicola Gigante]

Hello!

I just want to point to your attention this issue of Homebrew:

https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew/issues/31609

It seems that they’re forced to remove the formula for the
Haskell Platform because, it seems, the build process has
become extremely complicated and they can’t figure out how
to automate it.

Is there someone that know enough internals of the platform
to help them or to give some advice?

Thanks,
Nicola
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[RodLogic]

fwiw, instead of waiting for this I created a new set of formulas (based on the stock homebrew one). The main difference is that I created one formula for each version since I want to be able to switch between them using brew link/unlink. 

https://github.com/rodlogic/homebrew-ghc

[Nicola Gigante]

Il giorno 27/ago/2014, alle ore 22:49, RodLogic <d...@rodlogic.net> ha scritto:

fwiw, instead of waiting for this I created a new set of formulas (based on the stock homebrew one). The main difference is that I created one formula for each version since I want to be able to switch between them using brew link/unlink. 

https://github.com/rodlogic/homebrew-ghc

Actually, the formula for ghc 7.8 works well since very few days. 

The problem is with the Haskell Platform. Any idea?

Thanks,

Nicola

[Johan Tibell]

[Carter Schonwald]

basically the problem is theres no one actively "owning" the brew formula for ghc or platform AND also famliar with haskell.  if someone was willing to be the "proactive owner" on the brew formula, i'm happy to help them when they hit tricky OS X issues, but baring that development, I avoid using Brew to manage GHC/Haskell platform like the plague, and advise others thusly. 

the Brew GHC formula is painfully out of date and kinda iffy .

https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew/blob/master/Library/Formula/ghc.rb

It still defaults to 7.6 despite 7.6 being hosed on more modern build envs unless you install userland GCC  (which then in turn breaks any haskell package that assumes a suitable mac friendly / objective ), AND the GHC 7.8 version it provides is 7.8.2 which had many nasty bugs and is no .

Additionally, theres ZERO good reason to expose "build from source" option for the GHC formula.  AND that has a complicated bootstrap process owing to their focus on 7.6 support, which would go away if they switch to a "7.8 only" motif.

the GHC OS X build that Mark used for the newest haskell platform build will work with OS X 10.6-10.1. Doing a binary install of that bindist (./configure --prefix=$brewGHCprefix ; make install; link the executables into path) should be the full extent of the brew formula.

[Nicola Gigante]

Il giorno 28/ago/2014, alle ore 01:33, Carter Schonwald <carter.s...@gmail.com> ha scritto:

basically the problem is theres no one actively "owning" the brew formula for ghc or platform AND also famliar with haskell.  if someone was willing to be the "proactive owner" on the brew formula, i'm happy to help them when they hit tricky OS X issues, but baring that development, I avoid using Brew to manage GHC/Haskell platform like the plague, and advise others thusly. 

the Brew GHC formula is painfully out of date and kinda iffy .

https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew/blob/master/Library/Formula/ghc.rb

It still defaults to 7.6 despite 7.6 being hosed on more modern build envs unless you install userland GCC  (which then in turn breaks any haskell package that assumes a suitable mac friendly / objective ), AND the GHC 7.8 version it provides is 7.8.2 which had many nasty bugs and is no .

Additionally, theres ZERO good reason to expose "build from source" option for the GHC formula.  AND that has a complicated bootstrap process owing to their focus on 7.6 support, which would go away if they switch to a "7.8 only" motif.

the GHC OS X build that Mark used for the newest haskell platform build will work with OS X 10.6-10.1. Doing a binary install of that bindist (./configure --prefix=$brewGHCprefix ; make install; link the executables into path) should be the full extent of the brew formula.

So, If i can recall correctly:

- They could simplify a lot the process if they’d focus on ghc 7.8 only.

- Anyway, they should forget building from source and provide a formula that installs

  the binary distribution.

Am I correct?

Nicola

[Carter Schonwald]

Pretty much.  But not 7.8 generally, but >= 7.8.3 onwards.  There are some nasty bugs in 7.8.2 that can bite if you're not careful.