cc_toolchain make variables do not consider action_config tool paths
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- Java
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Description
### Description of the bug:
When a `cc_toolchain` only has `action_config`s, and no `tool_path`s, the make variables (`$CC`, `$LD`, etc) are set to values which do not match the expected tool path, nor do they even necessarily point to things that exist.
It is not sufficient to expect a toolchain to specify both `action_config`s and `tool_path`s. `tool_path`s can not hermetically reference tools which do not reside under the same directory as the `cc_toolchain` which means you can create a toolchain that successfully compiles and links things, but cannot have `tool_path`s that match the paths to the tools in the `action_config`s.
This issue prevents my custom `cc_toolchain` from building [openssl](https://registry.bazel.build/modules/openssl) as it depends on `$CC` pointing to a real executable.
### Which category does this issue belong to?
C++ Rules
### What's the simplest, easiest way to reproduce this bug? Please provide a minimal example if possible.
Creating a `cc_toolchain` is not a simple thing, so I don't have a minimal, easily sharable example.
### Which operating system are you running Bazel on?
Linux
### What is the output of `bazel info release`?
release 8.2.0
### If `bazel info release` returns `development version` or `(@non-git)`, tell us how you built Bazel.
N/A
### What's the output of `git remote get-url origin; git rev-parse HEAD` ?
```text
N/A
```
### If this is a regression, please try to identify the Bazel commit where the bug was introduced with bazelisk --bisect.
I don't believe this is a regression, it is just a little used part of `cc_toolchain` that probably doesn't get much exposure to real world testing.
### Have you found anything relevant by searching the web?
https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel/issues/8438 - mentions that `tool_path`s are deprecated in favour of `action_config`s
### Any other information, logs, or outputs that you want to share?
Note: I marked this as a C++ Rule issue, but the functionality lies in the currently internal `cc_helper.bzl` file, not in the files that can be found in `rules_cc`.
I have a local branch of Bazel where I have made the make variables pull their paths from `action_config`s if they exist before falling back to `tool_path`s, and it successfully build openssl with my custom toolchain. I am making this issue as the first step to making a PR for this change.
Contributor guide
Research direction
Start in the internal cc_helper.bzl file, focusing on how make variables such as $CC and $LD are derived from cc_toolchain action_configs and tool_paths. Reproduce the behavior with a custom toolchain and the openssl module; done means the variables resolve to the executable paths used by the action_configs and openssl builds successfully.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- cpp
- Domain
- build-system
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 35/100