Should C headers and pkg-config files be removed?

[guihkx]

I had never built a Vala app in my life until now, so I'm sorry if my ignorance shows too much here.

Anyway, I'm attempting to resurrect this Vala app, and for that I'm using this extension, because the Elementary base that app originally uses, includes a very old version of the Vala compiler (yes, even in the current 23.08 branch).

The first problem I faced is that meson can't find libgee's pkg-config file, because it's being intentionally removed:

Build log

========================================================================
Building module lyrics in /tmp/com.github.naaando.lyrics/.flatpak-builder/build/lyrics-1
========================================================================
FB: Running: tar xf /tmp/com.github.naaando.lyrics/.flatpak-builder/downloads/10724ac168aaea59da0566362fe7e588d2273ad9323516ab779b3b141178153e/0.9.0.tar.gz --no-same-owner --strip-components=1 -z
FB: Running: flatpak build --die-with-parent --env=FLATPAK_BUILDER_BUILDDIR=/run/build/lyrics --nofilesystem=host:reset --filesystem=/tmp/com.github.naaando.lyrics/.flatpak-builder/build/lyrics-1 --bind-mount=/run/build/lyrics=/tmp/com.github.naaando.lyrics/.flatpak-builder/build/lyrics-1 --build-dir=/run/build/lyrics/_flatpak_build --bind-mount=/run/ccache=/tmp/com.github.naaando.lyrics/.flatpak-builder/ccache --unshare=network --env=SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH=1729228717 '--env=CFLAGS=-O2 -pipe -g -Wp,-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=3 -Wp,-D_GLIBCXX_ASSERTIONS -fexceptions -fstack-protector-strong -grecord-gcc-switches -fasynchronous-unwind-tables -fstack-clash-protection -fcf-protection -fno-omit-frame-pointer -mno-omit-leaf-frame-pointer ' '--env=CXXFLAGS=-O2 -pipe -g -Wp,-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=3 -Wp,-D_GLIBCXX_ASSERTIONS -fexceptions -fstack-protector-strong -grecord-gcc-switches -fasynchronous-unwind-tables -fstack-clash-protection -fcf-protection -fno-omit-frame-pointer -mno-omit-leaf-frame-pointer ' '--env=LDFLAGS=-L/app/lib -Wl,-z,relro,-z,now -Wl,--as-needed ' --env=CCACHE_DIR=/run/ccache/disabled --env=PATH=/usr/lib/sdk/vala/bin:/app/bin:/usr/bin --env=LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/sdk/vala/lib:/app/lib --env=PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/app/lib/pkgconfig:/app/share/pkgconfig:/usr/lib/pkgconfig:/usr/share/pkgconfig --env=FLATPAK_BUILDER_N_JOBS=4 /tmp/com.github.naaando.lyrics/.flatpak-builder/rofiles/rofiles-XswS7q meson setup --prefix=/app --libdir=/app/lib .. --buildtype=release
The Meson build system
Version: 1.5.2
Source dir: /run/build/lyrics
Build dir: /run/build/lyrics/_flatpak_build
Build type: native build
Project name: com.github.naaando.lyrics
Project version: undefined
C compiler for the host machine: ccache cc (gcc 14.2.0 "cc (GCC) 14.2.0")
C linker for the host machine: cc ld.bfd 2.43.1
Vala compiler for the host machine: valac (valac 0.56.17)
Host machine cpu family: x86_64
Host machine cpu: x86_64
Found pkg-config: YES (/usr/bin/pkg-config) 2.3.0
Build-time dependency gio-2.0 found: YES 2.82.1
Program /usr/bin/glib-compile-resources found: YES (/usr/bin/glib-compile-resources)
Run-time dependency glib-2.0 found: YES 2.82.1
Run-time dependency gtk+-3.0 found: YES 3.24.43
Found CMake: /usr/bin/cmake (3.30.4)
WARNING: CMake Toolchain: Failed to determine CMake compilers state
Run-time dependency gee-0.8 found: NO (tried pkgconfig and cmake)

../meson.build:24:8: ERROR: Dependency "gee-0.8" not found, tried pkgconfig and cmake

A full log can be found at /run/build/lyrics/_flatpak_build/meson-logs/meson-log.txt
Error: module lyrics: Child process exited with code 1

I naively thought that adding a patch to make meson find libgee manually would be sufficient, but the app actually needs libgee's C header file, which this extension also removes:

Build log

========================================================================
Building module lyrics in /tmp/com.github.naaando.lyrics/.flatpak-builder/build/lyrics-1
========================================================================
FB: Running: tar xf /tmp/com.github.naaando.lyrics/.flatpak-builder/downloads/10724ac168aaea59da0566362fe7e588d2273ad9323516ab779b3b141178153e/0.9.0.tar.gz --no-same-owner --strip-components=1 -z
Applying patch libgee.patch
FB: Running: patch -p1 -i /tmp/com.github.naaando.lyrics/patches/libgee.patch
patching file meson.build
FB: Running: flatpak build --die-with-parent --env=FLATPAK_BUILDER_BUILDDIR=/run/build/lyrics --nofilesystem=host:reset --filesystem=/tmp/com.github.naaando.lyrics/.flatpak-builder/build/lyrics-1 --bind-mount=/run/build/lyrics=/tmp/com.github.naaando.lyrics/.flatpak-builder/build/lyrics-1 --build-dir=/run/build/lyrics/_flatpak_build --bind-mount=/run/ccache=/tmp/com.github.naaando.lyrics/.flatpak-builder/ccache --unshare=network --env=SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH=1729229236 '--env=CFLAGS=-O2 -pipe -g -Wp,-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=3 -Wp,-D_GLIBCXX_ASSERTIONS -fexceptions -fstack-protector-strong -grecord-gcc-switches -fasynchronous-unwind-tables -fstack-clash-protection -fcf-protection -fno-omit-frame-pointer -mno-omit-leaf-frame-pointer ' '--env=CXXFLAGS=-O2 -pipe -g -Wp,-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=3 -Wp,-D_GLIBCXX_ASSERTIONS -fexceptions -fstack-protector-strong -grecord-gcc-switches -fasynchronous-unwind-tables -fstack-clash-protection -fcf-protection -fno-omit-frame-pointer -mno-omit-leaf-frame-pointer ' '--env=LDFLAGS=-L/app/lib -Wl,-z,relro,-z,now -Wl,--as-needed ' --env=CCACHE_DIR=/run/ccache/disabled --env=PATH=/usr/lib/sdk/vala/bin:/app/bin:/usr/bin --env=LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/sdk/vala/lib:/app/lib --env=PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/app/lib/pkgconfig:/app/share/pkgconfig:/usr/lib/pkgconfig:/usr/share/pkgconfig --env=FLATPAK_BUILDER_N_JOBS=4 /tmp/com.github.naaando.lyrics/.flatpak-builder/rofiles/rofiles-XswS7q meson setup --prefix=/app --libdir=/app/lib .. --buildtype=release
The Meson build system
Version: 1.5.2
Source dir: /run/build/lyrics
Build dir: /run/build/lyrics/_flatpak_build
Build type: native build
Project name: com.github.naaando.lyrics
Project version: undefined
C compiler for the host machine: ccache cc (gcc 14.2.0 "cc (GCC) 14.2.0")
C linker for the host machine: cc ld.bfd 2.43.1
Vala compiler for the host machine: valac (valac 0.56.17)
Host machine cpu family: x86_64
Host machine cpu: x86_64
Found pkg-config: YES (/usr/bin/pkg-config) 2.3.0
Build-time dependency gio-2.0 found: YES 2.82.1
Program /usr/bin/glib-compile-resources found: YES (/usr/bin/glib-compile-resources)
Run-time dependency glib-2.0 found: YES 2.82.1
Run-time dependency gtk+-3.0 found: YES 3.24.43
Library gee-0.8 found: YES
Run-time dependency libsoup-2.4 found: YES 2.74.3
Run-time dependency xmlbird found: YES 1.2.15
Program msgfmt found: YES (/usr/bin/msgfmt)
Program msginit found: YES (/usr/bin/msginit)
Program msgmerge found: YES (/usr/bin/msgmerge)
Program xgettext found: YES (/usr/bin/xgettext)
Build targets in project: 403

com.github.naaando.lyrics undefined

  User defined options
    buildtype: release
    libdir   : /app/lib
    prefix   : /app

Found ninja-1.12.1 at /usr/bin/ninja
FB: Running: flatpak build --die-with-parent --env=FLATPAK_BUILDER_BUILDDIR=/run/build/lyrics --nofilesystem=host:reset --filesystem=/tmp/com.github.naaando.lyrics/.flatpak-builder/build/lyrics-1 --bind-mount=/run/build/lyrics=/tmp/com.github.naaando.lyrics/.flatpak-builder/build/lyrics-1 --build-dir=/run/build/lyrics/_flatpak_build --bind-mount=/run/ccache=/tmp/com.github.naaando.lyrics/.flatpak-builder/ccache --unshare=network --env=SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH=1729229236 '--env=CFLAGS=-O2 -pipe -g -Wp,-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=3 -Wp,-D_GLIBCXX_ASSERTIONS -fexceptions -fstack-protector-strong -grecord-gcc-switches -fasynchronous-unwind-tables -fstack-clash-protection -fcf-protection -fno-omit-frame-pointer -mno-omit-leaf-frame-pointer ' '--env=CXXFLAGS=-O2 -pipe -g -Wp,-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=3 -Wp,-D_GLIBCXX_ASSERTIONS -fexceptions -fstack-protector-strong -grecord-gcc-switches -fasynchronous-unwind-tables -fstack-clash-protection -fcf-protection -fno-omit-frame-pointer -mno-omit-leaf-frame-pointer ' '--env=LDFLAGS=-L/app/lib -Wl,-z,relro,-z,now -Wl,--as-needed ' --env=CCACHE_DIR=/run/ccache/disabled --env=PATH=/usr/lib/sdk/vala/bin:/app/bin:/usr/bin --env=LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/sdk/vala/lib:/app/lib --env=PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/app/lib/pkgconfig:/app/share/pkgconfig:/usr/lib/pkgconfig:/usr/share/pkgconfig --env=FLATPAK_BUILDER_N_JOBS=4 /tmp/com.github.naaando.lyrics/.flatpak-builder/rofiles/rofiles-XswS7q ninja -j4 -l8
[202/243] Compiling Vala source ../src/Repository/SyncedLyricsRepository.vala ../src/Reposito...pris/MprisService.vala ../src/SimplePlayer.vala ../src/Functions.vala ../src/Application.vala
../src/Repository/LocalRepository.vala:46.59-46.112: warning: unhandled error `GLib.Error'
   46 |         return local_storage_directory.query_exists () || local_storage_directory.make_directory_with_parents ();
      |                                                           ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
../src/Application.vala:73.59-73.112: warning: unhandled error `GLib.Error'
   73 |         return local_storage_directory.query_exists () || local_storage_directory.make_directory_with_parents ();
      |                                                           ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
../src/SyncedLyrics/Shim.vala:7.9-12.9: warning: unhandled error `GLib.SpawnError'
    7 |         Process.spawn_command_line_sync (
      |         ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    8 |             @"python3 -m venv $(Lyrics.Application.DEFAULT_LYRICS_DIR)/.venv",
      | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    9 |             out stdout,
      | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   10 |             out stderr,
      | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   11 |             out status
      | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   12 |         );
      | ~~~~~~~~~ 
../src/SyncedLyrics/Shim.vala:17.9-22.9: warning: unhandled error `GLib.SpawnError'
   17 |         Process.spawn_command_line_sync (
      |         ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   18 |             Lyrics.Application.DEFAULT_LYRICS_DIR + ".venv/bin/pip install syncedlyrics",
      | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   19 |             out stdout,
      | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   20 |             out stderr,
      | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   21 |             out status
      | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   22 |         );
      | ~~~~~~~~~ 
../src/SyncedLyrics/Shim.vala:36.9-41.9: warning: unhandled error `GLib.SpawnError'
   36 |         Process.spawn_command_line_sync (
      |         ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   37 |             @"$(Lyrics.Application.DEFAULT_LYRICS_DIR).venv/bin/syncedlyrics -o \"$(path)\" \"$(search_terms)\"",
      | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   38 |             out stdout,
      | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   39 |             out stderr,
      | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   40 |             out status
      | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   41 |         );
      | ~~~~~~~~~ 
../src/Repository/Repository.vala:3.5-3.28: warning: Field `Lyrics.Repository.viewlyrics_dbus' never used
    3 |     string[] viewlyrics_dbus = { "org.lyricsources.LyricSourcePlugin.viewlyrics",
      |     ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                                                     
../src/Functions.vala:1.1-1.19: warning: Method `dump_hashtable' never used
    1 | void dump_hashtable(GLib.HashTable<string, Variant> ht) {
      | ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                                      
../src/Core/Lyric.vala:18.15-18.24: warning: copying delegates is not supported
   18 |         base (compare_fn, Gee.Functions.get_equal_func_for (GLib.Type.STRING));
      |               ^~~~~~~~~~                                                       
Compilation succeeded - 8 warning(s)
[203/243] Compiling C object com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/meson-generated_src_Repository_LocalRepository.c.o
FAILED: com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/meson-generated_src_Repository_LocalRepository.c.o 
ccache cc -Icom.github.naaando.lyrics.p -I. -I.. -I/usr/include/glib-2.0 -I/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/glib-2.0/include -I/usr/include/gtk-3.0 -I/usr/include/pango-1.0 -I/usr/include/cairo -I/usr/include/gdk-pixbuf-2.0 -I/usr/include/webp -I/usr/include/at-spi2-atk/2.0 -I/usr/include/at-spi-2.0 -I/usr/include/atk-1.0 -I/usr/include/dbus-1.0 -I/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/dbus-1.0/include -I/usr/include/fribidi -I/usr/include/pixman-1 -I/usr/include/harfbuzz -I/usr/include/freetype2 -I/usr/include/libpng16 -I/usr/include/gio-unix-2.0 -I/usr/include/libmount -I/usr/include/blkid -I/app/include/libsoup-2.4 -I/usr/include/libxml2 -fdiagnostics-color=always -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -Wall -Winvalid-pch -O3 '-DGETTEXT_PACKAGE="lyrics"' -O2 -pipe -g -Wp,-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=3 -Wp,-D_GLIBCXX_ASSERTIONS -fexceptions -fstack-protector-strong -grecord-gcc-switches -fasynchronous-unwind-tables -fstack-clash-protection -fcf-protection -fno-omit-frame-pointer -mno-omit-leaf-frame-pointer -pthread -MD -MQ com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/meson-generated_src_Repository_LocalRepository.c.o -MF com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/meson-generated_src_Repository_LocalRepository.c.o.d -o com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/meson-generated_src_Repository_LocalRepository.c.o -c com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/src/Repository/LocalRepository.c
com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/src/Repository/LocalRepository.c:8:10: fatal error: gee.h: No such file or directory
    8 | #include "gee.h"
      |          ^~~~~~~
compilation terminated.
[204/243] Compiling C object com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/meson-generated_src_Repository_SyncedLyricsRepository.c.o
FAILED: com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/meson-generated_src_Repository_SyncedLyricsRepository.c.o 
ccache cc -Icom.github.naaando.lyrics.p -I. -I.. -I/usr/include/glib-2.0 -I/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/glib-2.0/include -I/usr/include/gtk-3.0 -I/usr/include/pango-1.0 -I/usr/include/cairo -I/usr/include/gdk-pixbuf-2.0 -I/usr/include/webp -I/usr/include/at-spi2-atk/2.0 -I/usr/include/at-spi-2.0 -I/usr/include/atk-1.0 -I/usr/include/dbus-1.0 -I/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/dbus-1.0/include -I/usr/include/fribidi -I/usr/include/pixman-1 -I/usr/include/harfbuzz -I/usr/include/freetype2 -I/usr/include/libpng16 -I/usr/include/gio-unix-2.0 -I/usr/include/libmount -I/usr/include/blkid -I/app/include/libsoup-2.4 -I/usr/include/libxml2 -fdiagnostics-color=always -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -Wall -Winvalid-pch -O3 '-DGETTEXT_PACKAGE="lyrics"' -O2 -pipe -g -Wp,-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=3 -Wp,-D_GLIBCXX_ASSERTIONS -fexceptions -fstack-protector-strong -grecord-gcc-switches -fasynchronous-unwind-tables -fstack-clash-protection -fcf-protection -fno-omit-frame-pointer -mno-omit-leaf-frame-pointer -pthread -MD -MQ com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/meson-generated_src_Repository_SyncedLyricsRepository.c.o -MF com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/meson-generated_src_Repository_SyncedLyricsRepository.c.o.d -o com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/meson-generated_src_Repository_SyncedLyricsRepository.c.o -c com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/src/Repository/SyncedLyricsRepository.c
com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/src/Repository/SyncedLyricsRepository.c:8:10: fatal error: gee.h: No such file or directory
    8 | #include "gee.h"
      |          ^~~~~~~
compilation terminated.
[205/243] Compiling C object com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/meson-generated_src_Repository_Repository.c.o
FAILED: com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/meson-generated_src_Repository_Repository.c.o 
ccache cc -Icom.github.naaando.lyrics.p -I. -I.. -I/usr/include/glib-2.0 -I/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/glib-2.0/include -I/usr/include/gtk-3.0 -I/usr/include/pango-1.0 -I/usr/include/cairo -I/usr/include/gdk-pixbuf-2.0 -I/usr/include/webp -I/usr/include/at-spi2-atk/2.0 -I/usr/include/at-spi-2.0 -I/usr/include/atk-1.0 -I/usr/include/dbus-1.0 -I/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/dbus-1.0/include -I/usr/include/fribidi -I/usr/include/pixman-1 -I/usr/include/harfbuzz -I/usr/include/freetype2 -I/usr/include/libpng16 -I/usr/include/gio-unix-2.0 -I/usr/include/libmount -I/usr/include/blkid -I/app/include/libsoup-2.4 -I/usr/include/libxml2 -fdiagnostics-color=always -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -Wall -Winvalid-pch -O3 '-DGETTEXT_PACKAGE="lyrics"' -O2 -pipe -g -Wp,-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=3 -Wp,-D_GLIBCXX_ASSERTIONS -fexceptions -fstack-protector-strong -grecord-gcc-switches -fasynchronous-unwind-tables -fstack-clash-protection -fcf-protection -fno-omit-frame-pointer -mno-omit-leaf-frame-pointer -pthread -MD -MQ com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/meson-generated_src_Repository_Repository.c.o -MF com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/meson-generated_src_Repository_Repository.c.o.d -o com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/meson-generated_src_Repository_Repository.c.o -c com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/src/Repository/Repository.c
com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/src/Repository/Repository.c:8:10: fatal error: gee.h: No such file or directory
    8 | #include "gee.h"
      |          ^~~~~~~
compilation terminated.
[206/243] Compiling C object com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/meson-generated_src_Repository_IRepository.c.o
FAILED: com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/meson-generated_src_Repository_IRepository.c.o 
ccache cc -Icom.github.naaando.lyrics.p -I. -I.. -I/usr/include/glib-2.0 -I/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/glib-2.0/include -I/usr/include/gtk-3.0 -I/usr/include/pango-1.0 -I/usr/include/cairo -I/usr/include/gdk-pixbuf-2.0 -I/usr/include/webp -I/usr/include/at-spi2-atk/2.0 -I/usr/include/at-spi-2.0 -I/usr/include/atk-1.0 -I/usr/include/dbus-1.0 -I/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/dbus-1.0/include -I/usr/include/fribidi -I/usr/include/pixman-1 -I/usr/include/harfbuzz -I/usr/include/freetype2 -I/usr/include/libpng16 -I/usr/include/gio-unix-2.0 -I/usr/include/libmount -I/usr/include/blkid -I/app/include/libsoup-2.4 -I/usr/include/libxml2 -fdiagnostics-color=always -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -Wall -Winvalid-pch -O3 '-DGETTEXT_PACKAGE="lyrics"' -O2 -pipe -g -Wp,-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=3 -Wp,-D_GLIBCXX_ASSERTIONS -fexceptions -fstack-protector-strong -grecord-gcc-switches -fasynchronous-unwind-tables -fstack-clash-protection -fcf-protection -fno-omit-frame-pointer -mno-omit-leaf-frame-pointer -pthread -MD -MQ com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/meson-generated_src_Repository_IRepository.c.o -MF com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/meson-generated_src_Repository_IRepository.c.o.d -o com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/meson-generated_src_Repository_IRepository.c.o -c com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/src/Repository/IRepository.c
com.github.naaando.lyrics.p/src/Repository/IRepository.c:8:10: fatal error: gee.h: No such file or directory
    8 | #include "gee.h"
      |          ^~~~~~~
compilation terminated.
ninja: build stopped: subcommand failed.
Error: module lyrics: Child process exited with code 1

So, going back to my original question: Should this extension really be removing all these seemingly useful files?