mesonbuild / mesonbuild/meson-python
RPATH goes missing when using both `install_rpath` and an internal shared library dependency
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- Python
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Description
This is a case that probably hasn't been exercised before: a Python extension module that links against both a shared library that's part of the package _and_ a shared library built in a subproject that's folded into the wheel by `meson-python`.
I ran into this in SciPy when adding a subproject. This worked as advertised, except for [this `scipy.special._ufuncs`](
https://github.com/scipy/scipy/blob/dd08de8c9b0e2726f5688a8b76a699c1f28e6514/scipy/special/meson.build#L144-L162) extension module, which depends on [this `libsf_error` shared library](https://github.com/scipy/scipy/blob/dd08de8c9b0e2726f5688a8b76a699c1f28e6514/scipy/special/meson.build#L36-L42) as well as on the library in the subproject.
What one sees then is that the installed wheel can no longer find `libsf_error.so`, because the RPATH entry for `install_rpath: '$ORIGIN'` goes missing.
With a default SciPy build (no subproject), the `Library rpath|runpath` entries on the `_ufuncs` target in the build and install directories looks like this (has `$ORIGIN` as it should):
```bash
$ readelf -d build/scipy/special/_ufuncs.cpython-312-x86_64-linux-gnu.so | rg "Library r"
0x000000000000000f (RPATH) Library rpath: [/home/rgommers/mambaforge/envs/scipy-dev-py312/lib:$ORIGIN/]
$ readelf -d build-install/lib/python3.12/site-packages/scipy/special/_ufuncs.cpython-312-x86_64-linux-gnu.so | rg "Library r"
0x000000000000000f (RPATH) Library rpath: [$ORIGIN:/home/rgommers/mambaforge/envs/scipy-dev-py312/lib]
```
On the branch with the subproject, we see this instead:
```bash
$ readelf -d build-whl/scipy/special/_ufuncs.cpython-312-x86_64-linux-gnu.so | rg Library
0x000000000000001d (RUNPATH) Library runpath: [/home/rgommers/code/pixi-dev-scipystack/scipy/.pixi/envs/openblas-src/lib:$ORIGIN/../../.scipy.mesonpy.libs:$ORIGIN/../../.scipy.mesonpy.libs:$ORIGIN/../../.scipy.mesonpy.libs:$ORIGIN/../../.scipy.mesonpy.libs]
$ readelf -d site-packages/scipy/special/_ufuncs.cpython-312-x86_64-linux-gnu.so | rg "Library r"
0x000000000000001d (RUNPATH) Library runpath: [/home/rgommers/code/pixi-dev-scipystack/scipy/.pixi/envs/openblas-src/lib:$ORIGIN/../../.scipy.mesonpy.libs:$ORIGIN/../../.scipy.mesonpy.libs:$ORIGIN/../../.scipy.mesonpy.libs:$ORIGIN/../../.scipy.mesonpy.libs]
```
The duplication of the `.scipy.mesonpy.libs` entries is a minor stylistic issue, we may be able to de-duplicate but it doesn't matter. What does matter is that `$ORIGIN` is no longer present.
This looks like a bug in the `fix_rpath` implementation at:
https://github.com/mesonbuild/meson-python/blob/91d64d1d08aa2702ceaf1bde3edc53d69429100e/mesonpy/_rpath.py#L28-L36
The problem seems clear: all RPATH entries are cleared, and the ones that are added back all get `libs_relative_path` appended (i.e. to the subproject-relocated location). Any existing RPATHs within the package, like `'$ORIGIN'`, will get lost.
Contributor guide
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Research direction
Inspect mesonpy/_rpath.py, especially fix_rpath at the referenced lines, and reproduce the case using the SciPy meson.build targets and readelf commands shown. Done means the installed wheel retains the existing $ORIGIN entry while also adding the relocated subproject library paths.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- python
- Domain
- build-system
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 3/5
- Estimated time
- 1-2 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 35/100