RPi install missing dependencies

[BsAtHome]

Just did a clean install of the official Raspbian/bookworm on a RPi5 and compiled master from source.

All dependencies were installed using:

$ scripts/travis-install-build-deps.sh

The build went fine, but RIP running default axis example config missed several dependencies:

• python3-opengl
  • libgl1-mesa-dev
  • libglut-dev
  • libglut3.12
• python3-gi-cairo
  • python3-gi
  • python3-cairo
• python3-numpy
  • ibblas3
  • libgfortran5
  • liblapack3
• x11-xserver-utils

(the second indent are the dependencies pulled in)

I can see nearly all dependencies being listed in the debian/control file except (!) the x11-server-utils, which provides in the xset program.

So, how are you supposed to depend-install packages for running and not just building? Secondly, I think package x11-server-utils needs to be added to the dependency list.

[smoe]

I think I would add x11-server-utils to the "Recommends"-line of the package, not as a full dependency. This would get it installed by default but removing all the X environments would keep LinuxCNC installed.

The list of packages to install for a complete functionality should go somewhere into the documentation, I suggest, not as a script, maybe to https://github.com/LinuxCNC/linuxcnc/blob/master/docs/INSTALL.adoc ?

What came to mind - we could add some tests and come up with a target that installs the runtime dependencies. We would just need to find a way to have this mostly distribution-agnostic.

[andypugh]

Does it make sense to build a system that won't work?
Whilst some things are not exactly build dependencies, but the built system won't work without them, isn't it maybe legitimate to have them as build-deps?

[BsAtHome]

Well, the build-process does actually work. But testing it will fail.

If by building we mean "it must build and run for test purposes", then yes, these dependencies are actually missing. It depends a bit on how you look at "build" versus "test" versus "deploy".

[smoe]

The dependencies for testing are indeed regular build dependencies. And the -dev libraries usually specified have the package shipping the .so files as a dependency, so these are also installed. A test that is not executable is a failure, so it seems like there are build-time tests missing.

Dependencies for tests that are to be performed after the package was installed go into debian/tests/control.

I have another concern in that the dependencies of linuxcnc-uspace are already fairly impressive. For instance I had to install python3-opencv and python3-espeak as runtime dependencies - but how many of our installations do indeed use a camera or speak?

[BsAtHome]

Maybe there should be a further split in packages, splitting in separate front-ends and a back-end? Then the necessary dependencies can be added to the front-end packages.

[andypugh]

I think that the solution to this issue is to add the dependencies.
Discussions about splitting of packages etc probably belongs elsewhere than in the "Issues" list.

[BsAtHome]

I think that the solution to this issue is to add the dependencies.

I'll have a look at it and come up with a PR.

[andypugh]

@BsAtHome Did you have any further thoughts on this?

[andypugh]

I don't think that travis script is the correct approach for runtime dependencies.

However @smoe can you add the x11-server-utils package to recommends.

[BsAtHome]

It is not a strict build dependency as such, but you still need it when you want to (sim) test after a build. It is illogical that you cannot run the program after you actually build it. Therefore, I think the dependency should be added and not just recommended.