bug#81647: libtool 2.6.2: regression on macOS

Bruno Haible via bug-libtool via Bug reports for the GNU libtool shared library maintenance tool <[email protected]> Mon, 17 Aug 2026 22:52:46 +0200
Newsgroups	gmane.comp.gnu.libtool.bugs
Message-ID	<2934321.gORTcIGjah@cagnes>
Hi Ileana,

In GNU gettext, I switched from libtool 2.6.0 to libtool 2.6.2.
Since then, builds on macOS
  - where libxml2 is installed in the system,
  - and the configure option '--with-included-libxml' is not specified,
now fail. The problem is that -l options that reference system-installed
libraries now get silently dropped, leading to link errors.

In detail:

In the build log, line 14554, there is a libtool invocation:

/bin/sh ../libtool  --tag=CC   --mode=link cc -std=gnu23 <some-W-options> -g -O2 -release 20260809 ../gnulib-lib/libgettextlib.la  ../../libtextstyle/lib/libtextstyle.la ../../gettext-runtime/intl/libintl.la   -Wl,-framework -Wl,CoreFoundation -Wl,-framework -Wl,CoreServices -L/Users/haible/lib -liconv -R/Users/haible/lib -lc -no-undefined    -L/Users/haible/lib -o libgettextsrc.la -rpath /Users/haible/lib <some-.lo-files>

Where ../gnulib-lib/libgettextlib.la has a dependency_libs line

dependency_libs=' -R/Users/haible/lib  -L/Users/haible/lib /Users/haible/STORAGE/gettext-202608xx/build/gettext-runtime/intl/libintl.la -lxml2 /Users/haible/lib/libiconv.la'

and ../../libtextstyle/lib/libtextstyle.la has a dependency_libs line

dependency_libs=' -R/Users/haible/lib  -L/Users/haible/lib /Users/haible/lib/libiconv.la -lncurses'

The next line in the build log looks like this, with libtool 2.6.0:

libtool: link: cc -std=gnu23 -dynamiclib  -o .libs/libgettextsrc-20260809.dylib  <some-.libs/*.o-files> ../gnulib-lib/.libs/libgettextlib.dylib -L/Users/haible/lib /Users/haible/STORAGE/gettext-20260809/build/gettext-runtime/intl/.libs/libintl.dylib -lxml2 ../../libtextstyle/lib/.libs/libtextstyle.dylib -lncurses ../../gettext-runtime/intl/.libs/libintl.dylib /Users/haible/lib/libiconv.dylib -lc  <some-W-options> -g -O2 -Wl,-framework -Wl,CoreFoundation -Wl,-framework -Wl,CoreServices -Wl,-dylib_file -Wl,/Users/haible/lib/libintl.8.dylib:/Users/haible/STORAGE/gettext-20260809/build/gettext-runtime/intl/.libs/libintl.dylib   -install_name  /Users/haible/lib/libgettextsrc-20260809.dylib  

and like this, with libtool 2.6.2:

libtool: link: cc -std=gnu23 -dynamiclib  -o .libs/libgettextsrc-20260810.dylib  <some-.libs/*.o-files> ../gnulib-lib/.libs/libgettextlib.dylib -L/Users/haible/lib ../../libtextstyle/lib/.libs/libtextstyle.dylib ../../gettext-runtime/intl/.libs/libintl.dylib /Users/haible/lib/libiconv.dylib -lc  <some-W-options> -g -O2 -Wl,-framework -Wl,CoreFoundation -Wl,-framework -Wl,CoreServices -Wl,-dylib_file -Wl,/Users/haible/lib/libintl.8.dylib:/Users/haible/STORAGE/gettext-20260810/build/gettext-runtime/intl/.libs/libintl.dylib   -install_name  /Users/haible/lib/libgettextsrc-20260810.dylib  

Here, the options -lxml2 and -lncurses are no longer present, and the link fails:

Undefined symbols for architecture arm64:
  "_xmlAddChild", referenced from:
      __its_is_valid_simple_gen_xml in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      __its_is_valid_simple_gen_xml in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      __its_is_valid_simple_gen_xml in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      __its_is_valid_simple_gen_xml in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      __its_is_valid_simple_gen_xml in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlAddChildList", referenced from:
      _its_merge_context_merge in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlAddNextSibling", referenced from:
      _its_merge_context_merge in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlAllocOutputBuffer", referenced from:
      __its_collect_text_content in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlCheckVersion", referenced from:
      _locating_rule_list_alloc in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
  "_xmlCopyNamespace", referenced from:
      _its_rule_list_add_from_doc in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlDocFormatDump", referenced from:
      _its_merge_context_write in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlDocGetRootElement", referenced from:
      _locating_rule_match in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _locating_rule_list_add_from_directory in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _its_rule_list_add_from_doc in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_rule_list_extract in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_merge_context_alloc in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlFreeDoc", referenced from:
      _format_parse in libgettextsrc_la-format-kde-kuit.o
      _format_parse in libgettextsrc_la-format-kde-kuit.o
      _locating_rule_match in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _locating_rule_match in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _locating_rule_list_add_from_directory in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _OUTLINED_FUNCTION_6 in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _its_rule_list_add_from_file in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      ...
  "_xmlFreeNs", referenced from:
      _its_rule_destructor in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlFreeTextWriter", referenced from:
      __its_collect_text_content in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlGetLastError", referenced from:
      _format_parse in libgettextsrc_la-format-kde-kuit.o
      _locating_rule_match.cold.2 in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _its_rule_list_add_from_string.cold.1 in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _OUTLINED_FUNCTION_9 in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlGetLineNo", referenced from:
      _its_rule_list_extract in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlGetNsList", referenced from:
      _its_rule_list_add_from_doc in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlGetNsProp", referenced from:
      _its_merge_context_merge in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_translate_rule_constructor in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_translate_rule_constructor in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_translate_rule_eval in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_localization_note_rule_constructor in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_localization_note_rule_constructor in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_localization_note_rule_constructor in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_localization_note_rule_constructor in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      ...
  "_xmlGetProp", referenced from:
      _locating_rule_list_add_from_directory in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _locating_rule_list_add_from_directory in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _locating_rule_list_add_from_directory in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _locating_rule_list_add_from_directory in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _locating_rule_list_add_from_directory in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _locating_rule_list_add_from_directory in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      __its_collect_text_content in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      ...
  "_xmlHasNsProp", referenced from:
      _its_translate_rule_eval in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_localization_note_rule_eval in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_localization_note_rule_eval in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_localization_note_rule_eval in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_localization_note_rule_eval in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_localization_note_rule_eval in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_element_within_text_rule_eval in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      ...
  "_xmlHasProp", referenced from:
      _locating_rule_list_add_from_directory in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _locating_rule_list_add_from_directory in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _locating_rule_list_add_from_directory in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _locating_rule_list_add_from_directory in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _locating_rule_list_add_from_directory in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _locating_rule_list_add_from_directory in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _its_translate_rule_constructor in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_translate_rule_constructor in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      ...
  "_xmlNewDocNodeEatName", referenced from:
      __its_is_valid_simple_gen_xml in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlNewDocTextLen", referenced from:
      __its_is_valid_simple_gen_xml in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      __its_is_valid_simple_gen_xml in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      __its_is_valid_simple_gen_xml in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      __its_is_valid_simple_gen_xml in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlNewNode", referenced from:
      _its_merge_context_merge in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlNewNsProp", referenced from:
      _its_merge_context_merge in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlNewProp", referenced from:
      __its_is_valid_simple_gen_xml in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlNewTextWriter", referenced from:
      __its_collect_text_content in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlNodeAddContent", referenced from:
      _its_merge_context_merge in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlNodeGetContent", referenced from:
      _its_rule_list_extract in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      __its_collect_text_content in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlNodeSetContent", referenced from:
      _its_merge_context_merge in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_merge_context_merge in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_merge_context_merge in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlNodeSetContentLen", referenced from:
      __its_is_valid_simple_gen_xml in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      __its_is_valid_simple_gen_xml in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      __its_is_valid_simple_gen_xml in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      __its_is_valid_simple_gen_xml in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      __its_is_valid_simple_gen_xml in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlOutputBufferGetContent", referenced from:
      __its_collect_text_content in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlParseInNodeContext", referenced from:
      _its_merge_context_merge in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlReadFd", referenced from:
      _its_rule_list_extract in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlReadFile", referenced from:
      _locating_rule_match in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _locating_rule_list_add_from_directory in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _its_rule_list_add_from_file in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_merge_context_alloc in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlReadMemory", referenced from:
      _format_parse in libgettextsrc_la-format-kde-kuit.o
      _its_rule_list_add_from_string in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlSetGenericErrorFunc", referenced from:
      _its_rule_list_add_from_file in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_rule_list_add_from_file in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_rule_list_add_from_string in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_rule_list_add_from_string in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_rule_list_extract in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_rule_list_extract in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_merge_context_merge in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_merge_context_merge in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      ...
  "_xmlSetProp", referenced from:
      _its_merge_context_merge in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlSetStructuredErrorFunc", referenced from:
      _its_rule_list_add_from_file in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_rule_list_add_from_file in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_rule_list_add_from_string in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_rule_list_add_from_string in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_rule_list_extract in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_rule_list_extract in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_merge_context_merge in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_merge_context_merge in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      ...
  "_xmlStrEqual", referenced from:
      _locating_rule_match in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _locating_rule_match in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _locating_rule_list_add_from_directory in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _locating_rule_list_add_from_directory in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _locating_rule_list_add_from_directory in libgettextsrc_la-locating-rules.o
      _its_rule_list_add_from_doc in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_rule_list_add_from_doc in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      ...
  "_xmlTextWriterEndElement", referenced from:
      __its_collect_text_content in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlTextWriterStartElement", referenced from:
      __its_collect_text_content in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlTextWriterWriteAttribute", referenced from:
      __its_collect_text_content in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlTextWriterWriteRaw", referenced from:
      __its_collect_text_content in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlXPathEval", referenced from:
      _its_rule_apply in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlXPathEvalExpression", referenced from:
      __its_get_content in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlXPathFreeContext", referenced from:
      _its_rule_apply in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      __its_get_content in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      _its_rule_apply.cold.2 in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      __its_get_content.cold.1 in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlXPathFreeObject", referenced from:
      _its_rule_apply in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      __its_get_content in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlXPathNewContext", referenced from:
      _its_rule_apply in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      __its_get_content in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlXPathRegisterNs", referenced from:
      _its_rule_apply in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
      __its_get_content in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
  "_xmlXPathSetContextNode", referenced from:
      __its_get_content in libgettextsrc_la-its.o
ld: symbol(s) not found for architecture arm64
clang: error: linker command failed with exit code 1 (use -v to see invocation)
make[5]: *** [libgettextsrc.la] Error 1


How to reproduce:
In https://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/gettext/gettext-20260809.tar.gz you find the source
tarball with libtool 2.6.0.
In https://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/gettext/gettext-20260810.tar.gz you find the source
tarball with libtool 2.6.2.
Compile them on a macOS machine, e.g. cfarm104.cfarm.net.
I have the builds still lying around in
     cfarm104.cfarm.net:~haible/STORAGE/gettext-20260809/build
and  cfarm104.cfarm.net:~haible/STORAGE/gettext-20260810/build

Bruno