[Bioc-devel] Rgraphviz on ppc64le needs updated config.{sub, guess}

[Daniel Axtens]

Hi,

I haven't been able to find a way to report a bug on a package directly,
so I'm hoping this is the best way to report a bug, and my apologies in
advance if it isn't.

Rgraphviz fails to install on little-endian, 64-bit PowerPC (ppc64le).

Attempting to install leads to this error message:

...
checking whether gcc -std=gnu99 accepts -g... yes
checking for gcc -std=gnu99 option to accept ISO C89... none needed
checking how to run the C preprocessor... gcc -std=gnu99 -E
checking whether we are using the GNU C++ compiler... yes
checking whether g++ accepts -g... yes
configure: Preparing to compile Graphviz.
configure: Configuring bundled Graphviz.
checking build system type... config/config.guess: unable to guess system type

This script, last modified 2009-11-20, has failed to recognize
the operating system you are using. It is advised that you
download the most up to date version of the config scripts from

  http://git.savannah.gnu.org/gitweb/?p=config.git;a=blob_plain;f=config.guess;hb=HEAD
and
  http://git.savannah.gnu.org/gitweb/?p=config.git;a=blob_plain;f=config.sub;hb=HEAD

If the version you run (config/config.guess) is already up to date, please
send the following data and any information you think might be
pertinent to <config-patches at gnu.org> in order to provide the needed
information to handle your system.

config.guess timestamp = 2009-11-20

uname -m = ppc64le
uname -r = 4.4.0-47-generic
uname -s = Linux
uname -v = #68-Ubuntu SMP Wed Oct 26 19:38:24 UTC 2016

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

hostinfo               = 
/bin/universe          = 
/usr/bin/arch -k       = 
/bin/arch              = 
/usr/bin/oslevel       = 
/usr/convex/getsysinfo = 

UNAME_MACHINE = ppc64le
UNAME_RELEASE = 4.4.0-47-generic
UNAME_SYSTEM  = Linux
UNAME_VERSION = #68-Ubuntu SMP Wed Oct 26 19:38:24 UTC 2016
configure: error: cannot guess build type; you must specify one
make: *** No rule to make target 'install'.  Stop.
...

I've seen a number of similar errors in various non-R packages: it's
because ppc64le is quite a modern platform and 7-year-old config.guess
doesn't know about it.

It's really easy to fix: just update the bundled config.sub and
config.guess, either from the URLs suggested in the excerpt above, or
with autotools.

I'd be more than happy to test any patches, or to supply a patch if that
would be more helpful.

Regards,
Daniel