[bug] prefix in pkg-config (.pc) file is emtpy when in editable mode

[joastoe]

I just updated conan to version 1.53.0 and am surprised that my .pc files generated with PkgConfigDeps into build/generators contain an empty prefix. This only when in editable mode. I use the layout() feature.

With conan 1.44

prefix=/home/dev/git/libname
libdir1=${prefix}/build/src
includedir1=${prefix}/include
includedir2=${prefix}/build/include
includedir3=${prefix}/build/include/libname

With conan 1.53

prefix=
libdir1=${prefix}/build/generators/build/src
includedir1=${prefix}/../../include
includedir2=${prefix}/../include
includedir3=${prefix}/../include/libname

Is this a bug or did I miss to migrate some variable in the layout() section.
Thanks

[franramirez688]

Hi @joastoe

I think this is the expected behavior. You can have a look at this issue #11435.
So, it'll always be "" when in editable mode.

[joastoe]

Hi @franramirez688

I don't get it, if this is expected behavior how can I get It work otherwise then?
An empty prefix path will let cmake fail as the include dirs are all pointing to an in existent path. E.g.
/include instead of /home/dev/git/libname/include.

Seems to me as if the generation of the dependency's root path (=prefix) got lost somewhere on the road.

[joastoe]

I investigated further.
The issue persists since conan version 1.46.0

package_folder is not defined anymore

ERROR: Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/dev/.local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/conans/client/generators/__init__.py", line 177, in write_generators
    generator.generate()
  File "/home/dev/.local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/conan/tools/gnu/pkgconfigdeps/pkgconfigdeps.py", line 32, in generate
    generator_files = self.content
  File "/home/dev/.local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/conan/tools/gnu/pkgconfigdeps/pkgconfigdeps.py", line 17, in content
    for pc_name, pc_content in get_pc_files_and_content(self._conanfile, dep).items():
  File "/home/dev/.local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/conan/tools/gnu/pkgconfigdeps/pc_files_creator.py", line 117, in get_pc_files_and_content
    pc_files.update(_get_single_package_pc_file_and_content(conanfile, dep, pkg_info))
  File "/home/dev/.local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/conan/tools/gnu/pkgconfigdeps/pc_files_creator.py", line 99, in _get_single_package_pc_file_and_content
    pc_name, pc_content = get_pc_filename_and_content(conanfile, dep, package_info.name,
  File "/home/dev/.local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/conan/tools/gnu/pkgconfigdeps/pc_files_templates.py", line 94, in get_pc_filename_and_content
    prefix_path = package_folder.replace("\\", "/")
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'replace'

I know that this AttributeError then was fixed by issue #11435 but my concern is why the package_folder variable isn't defined anymore.

[franramirez688]

Hi @joastoe

Sorry for the delay. Yes, you're right that it's a bug.
I just reproduced it locally, getting this error message:

CMake Error in CMakeLists.txt:
  Imported target "PkgConfig::HELLO" includes non-existent path

    "/../../../../../../../../../../develop/conan/mytest/include"

  in its INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES.  Possible reasons include:

  * The path was deleted, renamed, or moved to another location.

  * An install or uninstall procedure did not complete successfully.

  * The installation package was faulty and references files it does not
  provide.

I don't know if it'll be as simple as putting internally "." by default. I have to figure out a couple of things more.
I'll try to make a pull request to solve this issue in the next Conan 1.55 release.
Thanks for reporting it! 😄

[joastoe]

Hi @franramirez688
No problem, I'm happy to help.
Let me know if I can test anything related.

[franramirez688]

Closed by #12529
This fix will be available in the next Conan 1.55 release.