Build support

[NerjalNosk]

Hello,

I have been trying to build latest EasyEffects (8.0+) from source since my package provider (aptitude, on a Debian system) still only holds a rather old version (7.2.3), and I would rather avoid installing a whole system (flatpak or alike) only for one app.

However, upon trying to do so, I keep hitting wall after wall, despite following the wiki instructions or any other lead I could find.

So I thought it might be better to ask how to get about doing it, yet without opening an issue since it isn't really one, but it could still help anyone else in a similar situation.

[NerjalNosk]

First and foremost, I followed the wiki instructions, but was met with meson complaining about not finding any meson.build file, which I could find anywhere either.

ERROR: Neither source directory '_build' nor build directory None contain a build file meson.build.
WARNING: Running the setup command as `meson [options]` instead of `meson setup [options]` is ambiguous and deprecated.

Then, according to some lead I have lost through my internet browsing, I went to create a build folder and run the cmake .. command to try to at least get to the building process.

This did get further. At least it was no longer complaining about not having a file, but it would turn out I was missing some libraries.

So coming back after installing both extra-cmake-modules and qt6-base-dev, I came back to it, but still couldn't get any further.

I am in fact now greeted with a message about not being able to validate the Qt6Graphs dependency, which I could not find any library to install in order to provide, but every lead only talked about some ~/Qt/ folder that I do not have, and would seem to be related to either some environment variables that would lead to folders I do not have, or the Qt Maker app, that would seem like a cumbersome process to install and set up only to build a single app the scale of EasyEffects (not saying it is small at a solo project's scale, but it still is far from most common end-user modern apps)

-- Could NOT find Qt6Graphs (missing: Qt6Graphs_DIR)
CMake Error at CMakeLists.txt:44 (find_package):
  Found package configuration file:

    /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/Qt6Config.cmake

  but it set Qt6_FOUND to FALSE so package "Qt6" is considered to be NOT
  FOUND.  Reason given by package:

  Failed to find required Qt component "Graphs".

  Expected Config file at
  "/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6Graphs/Qt6GraphsConfig.cmake" does NOT
  exist



  Configuring with --debug-find-pkg=Qt6Graphs might reveal details why the
  package was not found.

  Configuring with -DQT_DEBUG_FIND_PACKAGE=ON will print the values of some
  of the path variables that find_package uses to try and find the package.

Hence I would appreciate some guidance as per how to proceed from there, in order to finally build it once and for all.

[wwmm]

However, upon trying to do so, I keep hitting wall after wall, despite following the wiki instructions or any other lead I could find.

These instructions are outdated. We do not use Meson anymore. We use cmake. So the correct process is something like

mkdir build
cd build
cmake -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr/local -G Ninja ..
ninja

. Using Ninja is optional. But it makes compilation faster. If installing ninja is not an option try

cmake -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr/local
make

Could NOT find Qt6Graphs (missing: Qt6Graphs_DIR)

Hum... That will be a problem. We use Qt6Graph to draw the spectrum. For some weird reason some package maintainers are taking too long to offer Qt Graphs packages. What does not make sense considering Qt's developers have already deprecated the older Qt Charts. They even have a migration guide online.

The easiest solution in your case would be to find a third party repository that provides a recent Qt build that enables Qt Graphs. But as I use Arch Linux and not Debian I don't know how to guide you on that.

[NerjalNosk]

The qt6-graphs package is actually available in aptitude ( https://packages.debian.org/trixie/qt6-graphs-dev ), but somehow isn't found when running cmake.

Or I suppose it would make more sense to say that it is found, at least when adding the CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX, but cannot be resolved?

Honestly I am not really familiar enough with cmake to know what truly is happening here.
However, it did suggest me to add the following arguments to get more information on what may be going wrong: -DQT_DEBUG_FIND_PACKAGE=ON --debug-find-pkg=Qt6Graphs , which gave me the following output:

Running with debug output on for the 'find' commands for package(s) Qt6Graphs.
-- The CXX compiler identification is GNU 14.2.0
-- The C compiler identification is GNU 14.2.0
-- Detecting CXX compiler ABI info
-- Detecting CXX compiler ABI info - done
-- Check for working CXX compiler: /usr/bin/c++ - skipped
-- Detecting CXX compile features
-- Detecting CXX compile features - done
-- Detecting C compiler ABI info
-- Detecting C compiler ABI info - done
-- Check for working C compiler: /usr/bin/cc - skipped
-- Detecting C compile features
-- Detecting C compile features - done
-- Using stable build mode with the standard application ID
Installing in /usr/local. Run /home/nerjal/tmp/easyeffects/build/prefix.sh to set the environment for easyeffects.
-- Setting build type to 'Debug' as none was specified.
-- Looking for __GLIBC__
-- Looking for __GLIBC__ - found
-- Performing Test _OFFT_IS_64BIT
-- Performing Test _OFFT_IS_64BIT - Success
-- Performing Test HAVE_DATE_TIME
-- Performing Test HAVE_DATE_TIME - Success
-- Performing Test HAVE_STDATOMIC
-- Performing Test HAVE_STDATOMIC - Success
-- Found WrapAtomic: TRUE
-- Could NOT find Qt6Qml (missing: Qt6Qml_DIR)
CMake Warning at /usr/share/ECM/modules/ECMQmlModule6.cmake:9 (find_package):
  Found package configuration file:

    /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/Qt6Config.cmake

  but it set Qt6_FOUND to FALSE so package "Qt6" is considered to be NOT
  FOUND.  Reason given by package:

  Failed to find required Qt component "Qml".

  Expected Config file at
  "/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6Qml/Qt6QmlConfig.cmake" does NOT exist



  Configuring with --debug-find-pkg=Qt6Qml might reveal details why the
  package was not found.

   find_package search path values and other context for the last package that was not found:
    CMAKE_MODULE_PATH: /usr/share/ECM/modules/;/usr/share/ECM/find-modules/;/usr/share/ECM/kde-modules/;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/3rdparty/extra-cmake-modules/find-modules;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/3rdparty/kwin;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/3rdparty/extra-cmake-modules/find-modules;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/3rdparty/kwin
    CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH: 
    $ENV{CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH}: 
    CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH: 
    _qt_additional_packages_prefix_paths: 
    _qt_additional_host_packages_prefix_paths: 
    _qt_cmake_dir: /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake
    QT_HOST_PATH: 
    Qt6HostInfo_DIR: 
    Qt6_DIR: /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6
    CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE: 
    CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH_MODE_PACKAGE: 
    CMAKE_SYSROOT: 
    $ENV{PATH}: /usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/local/games:/usr/games

Call Stack (most recent call first):
  /usr/share/ECM/modules/ECMQmlModule.cmake:249 (include)
  CMakeLists.txt:42 (include)


CMake Warning at /usr/share/ECM/modules/ECMQmlModule6.cmake:13 (message):
  Target Qt6::Qml was not found.  ECMQmlModule requires the QML module when
  building with Qt 6
Call Stack (most recent call first):
  /usr/share/ECM/modules/ECMQmlModule.cmake:249 (include)
  CMakeLists.txt:42 (include)


-- Found OpenGL: /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libOpenGL.so
-- Found WrapOpenGL: TRUE
-- Could NOT find XKB (missing: XKB_LIBRARY XKB_INCLUDE_DIR) (Required is at least version "0.5.0")
-- Found WrapVulkanHeaders: /usr/include
-- Could NOT find Qt6Quick (missing: Qt6Quick_DIR)
CMake Warning at /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/Qt6Config.cmake:200 (find_package):
  Found package configuration file:

    /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6Graphs/Qt6GraphsConfig.cmake

  but it set Qt6Graphs_FOUND to FALSE so package "Qt6Graphs" is considered to
  be NOT FOUND.  Reason given by package:

  Qt6Graphs could not be found because dependency Qt6Quick could not be
  found.

  Configuring with --debug-find-pkg=Qt6Quick might reveal details why the
  package was not found.

   find_package search path values and other context for the last package that was not found:
    CMAKE_MODULE_PATH: /usr/share/ECM/modules/;/usr/share/ECM/find-modules/;/usr/share/ECM/kde-modules/;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/3rdparty/extra-cmake-modules/find-modules;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/3rdparty/kwin;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/3rdparty/extra-cmake-modules/find-modules;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/3rdparty/kwin;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/3rdparty/extra-cmake-modules/find-modules;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/3rdparty/kwin
    CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH: 
    $ENV{CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH}: 
    CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH: 
    _qt_additional_packages_prefix_paths: 
    _qt_additional_host_packages_prefix_paths: 
    _qt_cmake_dir: /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake
    QT_HOST_PATH: 
    Qt6HostInfo_DIR: 
    Qt6_DIR: /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6
    CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE: 
    CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH_MODE_PACKAGE: 
    CMAKE_SYSROOT: 
    $ENV{PATH}: /usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/local/games:/usr/games

Call Stack (most recent call first):
  CMakeLists.txt:44 (find_package)


CMake Debug Log at /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/Qt6Config.cmake:200 (find_package):
  The internally managed CMAKE_FIND_PACKAGE_REDIRECTS_DIR.

    /home/nerjal/tmp/easyeffects/build/CMakeFiles/pkgRedirects

  Paths specified by the find_package HINTS option.

    none

  Paths specified by the find_package PATHS option.

    /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake

  find_package considered the following locations for Qt6Graphs's Config
  module:

    /home/nerjal/tmp/easyeffects/build/CMakeFiles/pkgRedirects/Qt6GraphsConfig.cmake
    /home/nerjal/tmp/easyeffects/build/CMakeFiles/pkgRedirects/qt6graphs-config.cmake
    /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6GraphsConfig.cmake
    /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/qt6graphs-config.cmake
    /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6Graphs/Qt6GraphsConfig.cmake

  The file was found at

    /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6Graphs/Qt6GraphsConfig.cmake

Call Stack (most recent call first):
  CMakeLists.txt:44 (find_package)


CMake Error at CMakeLists.txt:44 (find_package):
  Found package configuration file:

    /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/Qt6Config.cmake

  but it set Qt6_FOUND to FALSE so package "Qt6" is considered to be NOT
  FOUND.  Reason given by package:

  Failed to find required Qt component "Graphs".

  Expected Config file at
  "/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6Graphs/Qt6GraphsConfig.cmake" exists



  Configuring with --debug-find-pkg=Qt6Graphs might reveal details why the
  package was not found.

   find_package search path values and other context for the last package that was not found:
    CMAKE_MODULE_PATH: /usr/share/ECM/modules/;/usr/share/ECM/find-modules/;/usr/share/ECM/kde-modules/;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/3rdparty/extra-cmake-modules/find-modules;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/3rdparty/kwin;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/3rdparty/extra-cmake-modules/find-modules;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/3rdparty/kwin;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/3rdparty/extra-cmake-modules/find-modules;/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6/3rdparty/kwin
    CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH: 
    $ENV{CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH}: 
    CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH: 
    _qt_additional_packages_prefix_paths: 
    _qt_additional_host_packages_prefix_paths: 
    _qt_cmake_dir: /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake
    QT_HOST_PATH: 
    Qt6HostInfo_DIR: 
    Qt6_DIR: /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/cmake/Qt6
    CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE: 
    CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH_MODE_PACKAGE: 
    CMAKE_SYSROOT: 
    $ENV{PATH}: /usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/local/games:/usr/games

Hope that can help understand what is happening?

[wwmm]

At least on Arch Linux the package that provides Qt6QmlConfig.cmake is https://archlinux.org/packages/extra/x86_64/qt6-declarative/. Is there a package named like this on Debian?

[NerjalNosk]

We do have https://packages.debian.org/trixie/qt6-declarative-dev , which should be the same.

Installing that, its dependencies, along with others that seemed to match the cmake-provided missing dependencies (listed below), I seemed to have gotten closer.

But each time, more dependencies appear before it breaks, which is an annoying part with most of these development/building assistant tools, that just stop at the first unresolved dependency and require to fix them one at a time.

So at this point, I am only installing what I can guess to match the dependencies one at a time, removing what doesn't help to check if it still is useful later (so that I can in the end provide a full list of required dependencies, rather than missing some because of that)

(manually) installed packages:
qt6-declarative-dev qt6-quick3d-dev libkf6colorscheme-dev libkf6config-dev libkf6configwidgets-dev libkf6coreaddons-dev libkf6i18n-dev libkf6iconthemes-dev libkf6qqc2desktopstyle-dev kirigami-addons-dev kirigami2-dev libkirigami-dev libtbb-dev libxkbcommon-dev libgsl-dev libpipewire-0.3-dev liblilv-dev libebur128-dev libfftw3-dev libspeexdsp-dev nlohmann-json3-dev libmysofa-dev libbs2b-dev libsndfile1-dev libsoundtouch-dev libwebrtc-audio-processing-dev

That is indeed quite a lot, but I am now met with another difficulty: webrtc-audio-processing-2 is not available for Debian on aptitude, but only the webrtc-audio-processing (its predecessor, or so it would seem)

I am thus now looking into building a deb package of that missing dependency in order to install it properly (and validate the installation check, rather than just a mere ninja install) but also possibly make it available to everyone beyond just my own personal use.

[wwmm]

That is indeed quite a lot, but I am now met with another difficulty: webrtc-audio-processing-2 is not available for Debian on aptitude, but only the webrtc-audio-processing (its predecessor, or so it would seem)

Other distributions had this difficulty too. But again package maintainers are being a little unreasonable. It has been 1 or 2 years since webrtc 2 has been released. Arch linux moved version 1 to a legacy package and moved the standard package to version 2. As it should. I have the feeling some package maintainers are not moving to version 2 just because pipewire is not using it yet.

[NerjalNosk]

Ngl my guess is rather that there simply are too many packages out there to update everything all the time. They likely have some automated testing, especially if using Lintian on debian-based distros, that they use any time they deploy a new release to see if the packages aren't breaking anything. Beyond that, packages only really get updated when requested to.