configure: error: C compiler cannot create executables

CourtDemone picture CourtDemone · Apr 27, 2012 · Viewed 183.9k times · Source

I've checked a number of similar questions on stackoverflow but haven't found an answer yet.

I'm trying to install memcached on Lion OSX as shown here.

Here's what I'm getting:

j-court-demones-macbook-pro:libevent-1.4.12-stable jcourtdemone$ ./configure; make
checking for a BSD-compatible install... /usr/bin/install -c
checking whether build environment is sane... yes
checking for a thread-safe mkdir -p... ./install-sh -c -d
checking for gawk... no
checking for mawk... no
checking for nawk... no
checking for awk... awk
checking whether make sets $(MAKE)... yes
checking for gcc... gcc
checking for C compiler default output file name... 
configure: error: in `/tmp/libevent-1.4.12-stable':
configure: error: C compiler cannot create executables
See `config.log' for more details.
make: *** No targets specified and no makefile found.  Stop.

I've reinstalled Xcode as was recommended in a couple places, but no dice.

Here's my config.log:

This file contains any messages produced by compilers while
running configure, to aid debugging if configure makes a mistake.

It was created by configure, which was
generated by GNU Autoconf 2.63.  Invocation command line was

  $ ./configure 

## --------- ##
## Platform. ##
## --------- ##

hostname = j-court-demones-macbook-pro.local
uname -m = x86_64
uname -r = 11.3.0
uname -s = Darwin
uname -v = Darwin Kernel Version 11.3.0: Thu Jan 12 18:47:41 PST 2012; root:xnu-1699.24.23~1/RELEASE_X86_64

/usr/bin/uname -p = i386
/bin/uname -X     = unknown

/bin/arch              = unknown
/usr/bin/arch -k       = unknown
/usr/convex/getsysinfo = unknown
/usr/bin/hostinfo      = Mach kernel version:
     Darwin Kernel Version 11.3.0: Thu Jan 12 18:47:41 PST 2012; root:xnu-1699.24.23~1/RELEASE_X86_64
Kernel configured for up to 8 processors.
4 processors are physically available.
8 processors are logically available.
Processor type: i486 (Intel 80486)
Processors active: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Primary memory available: 4.00 gigabytes
Default processor set: 109 tasks, 599 threads, 8 processors
Load average: 0.98, Mach factor: 7.01
/bin/machine           = unknown
/usr/bin/oslevel       = unknown
/bin/universe          = unknown

PATH: /opt/local/bin
PATH: /opt/local/sbin
PATH: /opt/local/bin
PATH: /opt/local/sbin
PATH: /usr/bin
PATH: /Developer/usr/bin
PATH: /usr/bin
PATH: /bin
PATH: /usr/sbin
PATH: /sbin
PATH: /usr/local/bin
PATH: /usr/X11/bin


## ----------- ##
## Core tests. ##
## ----------- ##

configure:2077: checking for a BSD-compatible install
configure:2145: result: /usr/bin/install -c
configure:2156: checking whether build environment is sane
configure:2199: result: yes
configure:2224: checking for a thread-safe mkdir -p
configure:2263: result: ./install-sh -c -d
configure:2276: checking for gawk
configure:2306: result: no
configure:2276: checking for mawk
configure:2306: result: no
configure:2276: checking for nawk
configure:2306: result: no
configure:2276: checking for awk
configure:2292: found /usr/bin/awk
configure:2303: result: awk
configure:2314: checking whether make sets $(MAKE)
configure:2336: result: yes
configure:2575: checking for gcc
configure:2591: found /Developer/usr/bin/gcc
configure:2602: result: gcc
configure:2834: checking for C compiler version
configure:2842: gcc --version >&5
i686-apple-darwin9-gcc-4.0.1 (GCC) 4.0.1 (Apple Inc. build 5484)
Copyright (C) 2005 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is NO
warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

configure:2846: $? = 0
configure:2853: gcc -v >&5
Using built-in specs.
Target: i686-apple-darwin9
Configured with: /var/tmp/gcc/gcc-5484~1/src/configure --disable-checking -enable-werror --prefix=/usr --mandir=/share/man --enable-languages=c,objc,c++,obj-c++ --program-transform-name=/^[cg][^.-]*$/s/$/-4.0/ --with-gxx-include-dir=/include/c++/4.0.0 --with-slibdir=/usr/lib --build=i686-apple-darwin9 --with-arch=apple --with-tune=generic --host=i686-apple-darwin9 --target=i686-apple-darwin9
Thread model: posix
gcc version 4.0.1 (Apple Inc. build 5484)
configure:2857: $? = 0
configure:2864: gcc -V >&5
gcc-4.0: argument to `-V' is missing
configure:2868: $? = 1
configure:2891: checking for C compiler default output file name
configure:2913: gcc    conftest.c  >&5
ld: library not found for -lcrt1.10.5.o
collect2: ld returned 1 exit status
configure:2917: $? = 1
configure:2955: result: 
configure: failed program was:
| /* confdefs.h.  */
| #define PACKAGE_NAME ""
| #define PACKAGE_TARNAME ""
| #define PACKAGE_VERSION ""
| #define PACKAGE_STRING ""
| #define PACKAGE_BUGREPORT ""
| #define PACKAGE "libevent"
| #define VERSION "1.4.12-stable"
| /* end confdefs.h.  */
| 
| int
| main ()
| {
| 
|   ;
|   return 0;
| }
configure:2961: error: in `/tmp/libevent-1.4.12-stable':
configure:2964: error: C compiler cannot create executables
See `config.log' for more details.

## ---------------- ##
## Cache variables. ##
## ---------------- ##

ac_cv_env_CCC_set=
ac_cv_env_CCC_value=
ac_cv_env_CC_set=
ac_cv_env_CC_value=
ac_cv_env_CFLAGS_set=
ac_cv_env_CFLAGS_value=
ac_cv_env_CPPFLAGS_set=
ac_cv_env_CPPFLAGS_value=
ac_cv_env_CPP_set=
ac_cv_env_CPP_value=
ac_cv_env_CXXCPP_set=
ac_cv_env_CXXCPP_value=
ac_cv_env_CXXFLAGS_set=
ac_cv_env_CXXFLAGS_value=
ac_cv_env_CXX_set=
ac_cv_env_CXX_value=
ac_cv_env_F77_set=
ac_cv_env_F77_value=
ac_cv_env_FFLAGS_set=
ac_cv_env_FFLAGS_value=
ac_cv_env_LDFLAGS_set=
ac_cv_env_LDFLAGS_value=
ac_cv_env_LIBS_set=
ac_cv_env_LIBS_value=
ac_cv_env_build_alias_set=
ac_cv_env_build_alias_value=
ac_cv_env_host_alias_set=
ac_cv_env_host_alias_value=
ac_cv_env_target_alias_set=
ac_cv_env_target_alias_value=
ac_cv_path_install='/usr/bin/install -c'
ac_cv_prog_AWK=awk
ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_CC=gcc
ac_cv_prog_make_make_set=yes

## ----------------- ##
## Output variables. ##
## ----------------- ##

ACLOCAL='${SHELL} /tmp/libevent-1.4.12-stable/missing --run aclocal-1.10'
AMDEPBACKSLASH=''
AMDEP_FALSE=''
AMDEP_TRUE=''
AMTAR='${SHELL} /tmp/libevent-1.4.12-stable/missing --run tar'
AR=''
AUTOCONF='${SHELL} /tmp/libevent-1.4.12-stable/missing --run autoconf'
AUTOHEADER='${SHELL} /tmp/libevent-1.4.12-stable/missing --run autoheader'
AUTOMAKE='${SHELL} /tmp/libevent-1.4.12-stable/missing --run automake-1.10'
AWK='awk'
BUILD_WIN32_FALSE=''
BUILD_WIN32_TRUE=''
CC='gcc'
CCDEPMODE=''
CFLAGS=''
CPP=''
CPPFLAGS=''
CXX=''
CXXCPP=''
CXXDEPMODE=''
CXXFLAGS=''
CYGPATH_W='echo'
DEFS=''
DEPDIR=''
DSYMUTIL=''
ECHO='/bin/echo'
ECHO_C='\c'
ECHO_N=''
ECHO_T=''
EGREP=''
EXEEXT=''
F77=''
FFLAGS=''
GREP=''
INSTALL_DATA='${INSTALL} -m 644'
INSTALL_PROGRAM='${INSTALL}'
INSTALL_SCRIPT='${INSTALL}'
INSTALL_STRIP_PROGRAM='$(install_sh) -c -s'
LDFLAGS=''
LIBOBJS=''
LIBS=''
LIBTOOL=''
LIBTOOL_DEPS=''
LN_S=''
LTLIBOBJS=''
MAKEINFO='${SHELL} /tmp/libevent-1.4.12-stable/missing --run makeinfo'
MKDIR_P='./install-sh -c -d'
NMEDIT=''
OBJEXT=''
PACKAGE='libevent'
PACKAGE_BUGREPORT=''
PACKAGE_NAME=''
PACKAGE_STRING=''
PACKAGE_TARNAME=''
PACKAGE_VERSION=''
PATH_SEPARATOR=':'
RANLIB=''
SED=''
SET_MAKE=''
SHELL='/bin/sh'
STRIP=''
VERSION='1.4.12-stable'
ac_ct_CC='gcc'
ac_ct_CXX=''
ac_ct_F77=''
am__fastdepCC_FALSE=''
am__fastdepCC_TRUE=''
am__fastdepCXX_FALSE=''
am__fastdepCXX_TRUE=''
am__include=''
am__isrc=''
am__leading_dot='.'
am__quote=''
am__tar='${AMTAR} chof - "$$tardir"'
am__untar='${AMTAR} xf -'
bindir='${exec_prefix}/bin'
build=''
build_alias=''
build_cpu=''
build_os=''
build_vendor=''
datadir='${datarootdir}'
datarootdir='${prefix}/share'
docdir='${datarootdir}/doc/${PACKAGE}'
dvidir='${docdir}'
exec_prefix='NONE'
host=''
host_alias=''
host_cpu=''
host_os=''
host_vendor=''
htmldir='${docdir}'
includedir='${prefix}/include'
infodir='${datarootdir}/info'
install_sh='$(SHELL) /tmp/libevent-1.4.12-stable/install-sh'
libdir='${exec_prefix}/lib'
libexecdir='${exec_prefix}/libexec'
localedir='${datarootdir}/locale'
localstatedir='${prefix}/var'
mandir='${datarootdir}/man'
mkdir_p='$(top_builddir)/./install-sh -c -d'
oldincludedir='/usr/include'
pdfdir='${docdir}'
prefix='/usr/local'
program_transform_name='s,x,x,'
psdir='${docdir}'
sbindir='${exec_prefix}/sbin'
sharedstatedir='${prefix}/com'
sysconfdir='${prefix}/etc'
target_alias=''

## ----------- ##
## confdefs.h. ##
## ----------- ##

#define PACKAGE_NAME ""
#define PACKAGE_TARNAME ""
#define PACKAGE_VERSION ""
#define PACKAGE_STRING ""
#define PACKAGE_BUGREPORT ""
#define PACKAGE "libevent"
#define VERSION "1.4.12-stable"

configure: exit 77

Answer

stereoscott picture stereoscott · Jul 29, 2012

I have 10.8 installed and Xcode 4.4 with Command Line tools, and yet I was still getting this error. Rather than reinstall Xcode, I noticed there were two relevant lines in my config.log:

configure:5130: checking for C compiler version
configure:5139: /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/OSX10.8.xctoolchain/usr/bin/cc --version >&5

That path did not exist for me. Instead I had:

/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain

The C compiler ("cc") is located inside of that xctoolchain directory. I created a symlink for OSX10.8.xctoolchain to point to XcodeDefault.xctoolchain and that fixed it. Now the memcached installation script can find the compiler version and continue on its way.

cd /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains
sudo ln -s XcodeDefault.xctoolchain OSX10.8.xctoolchain

As suggested in the comments, if you are having this problem on Yosemite (10.10) or Mavericks (10.9), you can update the symlink command above to point to that specific version (OSX10.9.xctoolchain or OSX10.10.xctoolchain).