python / python/cpython

Invalid `SHELL` in `Makefile` for AIX builds?

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#149,021 5 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

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build OS-unsupported type-bug
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Description

Bug report

Bug description:

When trying to build CPython on AIX, the make steps fails immediately with the following error message:

$ ./configure
[...]
$ make       
/bin/sh -e: not found

make: 1254-004 The error code from the last command is 1.


Stop.

AIX make(1) interprets whatever is assigned to the SHELL variable as a file path to the shell. It thus tries to use a shell named "/bin/sh -e":

execve("/bin/sh -e", 0x0000000110004D28, 0x0FFFFFFFFFFFFB90) Err#2  ENOENT

The -e was added by #100220, however I wonder if this is the right approach.

Going by POSIX I think -e should be the default unless it is explicitly disabled:

The execution line shall then be executed by a shell as if it were passed as the argument to the system() interface, except that if errors are not being ignored then the shell -e option shall also be in effect. If errors are being ignored for the command (as a result of the -i option, a '-' command prefix, or a .IGNORE special target), the shell -e option shall not be in effect.

I assume the -e was added for GNU make, which does not set -e unless it is set to POSIX-conforming mode (GNU make: Choosing the shell).

If the Makefile is defined to be a POSIX Makefile, wouldn't it be better to define .POSIX: in the makefile?

Quick test with GNU make:

$ cat Makefile
.POSIX:

SHELL = /bin/sh

test:
	false; echo after false
$ make --version
GNU Make 4.4.1
Built for powerpc64le-unknown-linux-musl
Copyright (C) 1988-2023 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
$ make test
false; echo after false
make: *** [Makefile:4: test] Error 1
CPython versions tested on:

CPython main branch

Operating systems tested on:

Other

Linked PRs
  • gh-149022

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  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

The issue points to the Makefile and notes that -e was added by #100220; start there and compare AIX make's SHELL handling with the cited POSIX behavior. Reproduce the failure on AIX or inspect the linked gh-149022 work, with completion indicated when the Makefile no longer passes an invalid shell path to AIX make.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python, shell
Domain
build-system, operating-systems
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
3/5
Estimated time
1-2 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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