Adding gcc 9.3.0 to ubuntu-16.04 image breaks builds for rocko and thud

[jcormier]

Adding gcc 9.3.0 to ubuntu-16.04 image breaks builds for rocko and thud
7f45b6a

14:18:51  ERROR: perl-native-5.24.4-r0 do_configure: Function failed: do_configure (log file is located at /work/build/arago-tmp-external-arm-toolchain/work/x86_64-linux/perl-native/5.24.4-r0/temp/log.do_configure.17334)
...
14:18:51  | /opt/poky/3.1.3/sysroots/x86_64-pokysdk-linux/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pokysdk-linux/9.3.0/../../../../x86_64-pokysdk-linux/bin/ld: cannot find -lnsl
14:18:51  | collect2: error: ld returned 1 exit status
14:18:51  | I can't compile the test program.
14:18:51  | You have a BIG problem.  Shall I abort Configure [y]

[moto-timo]

Rocko and Thud are no longer supported by upstream Yocto Project. Please move to a supported release, such as dunfell.

[jcormier]

Yes, of course but 16.04 is also EOL. The point of these dockers being locked to specific ubuntu versions is to allow builds to continue to work, without having to leave build servers at old versions of ubuntu...

What's the use case for building dunfell on an old unsupported version of ubuntu?

[moto-timo]

Ubuntu 16.04 is in ESM (Extended Security Maintencance) until 2026. Everyone seems to have different use-cases, so it's hard to predict what corner case might come up. We strive to actively support the current distro/version matrix and the actively maintained branches in Yocto Project.

There is a workaround for your situation.

Since libnsl is no longer included in gcc 9.3 provided by the buildtools-tarball, you can use libnsl2 instead (tested on poky thud):

diff --git a/meta/recipes-devtools/perl/perl-native_5.24.4.bb b/meta/recipes-devtools/perl/perl-native_5.24.4.bb
index 81d3fd4898..ee4d4e3928 100644
--- a/meta/recipes-devtools/perl/perl-native_5.24.4.bb
+++ b/meta/recipes-devtools/perl/perl-native_5.24.4.bb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 require perl.inc
 
 # We need gnugrep (for -I)
-DEPENDS = "db-native grep-native gdbm-native zlib-native"
+DEPENDS = "db-native grep-native gdbm-native zlib-native libnsl2-native"
 
 EXTRA_OEMAKE = "-e MAKEFLAGS="
 
diff --git a/meta/recipes-devtools/perl/perl_5.24.4.bb b/meta/recipes-devtools/perl/perl_5.24.4.bb
index 2f27749c53..70a60d8699 100644
--- a/meta/recipes-devtools/perl/perl_5.24.4.bb
+++ b/meta/recipes-devtools/perl/perl_5.24.4.bb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 require perl.inc
 
 # We need gnugrep (for -I)
-DEPENDS = "db grep-native gdbm zlib virtual/crypt"
+DEPENDS = "db grep-native gdbm zlib virtual/crypt libnsl2"
 
 # Pick up patches from debian
 # http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian/pool/main/p/perl/perl_5.22.0-1.debian.tar.xz

You could add these to their respective .bbappend files in your layer(s) as well.