[bug] Packages linked with static libraries cannot be used in editable mode

[Todiq]

Environment details

• Operating system: Rocky Linux 8.7
• Compiler: GCC 8.5.0
• Conan version: 2.0.2
• Python version: 3.9.13

Steps to reproduce

Create a package A in a folder

Copy the following conanfile.py

from conan import ConanFile
from conan.tools.cmake import CMake, CMakeToolchain, CMakeDeps, cmake_layout
from conan.tools.env import Environment, VirtualBuildEnv, VirtualRunEnv
from conan.tools.files import copy, collect_libs

class Pkg(ConanFile):
	required_conan_version = ">=1.50.0"
	name = "A"
	version = "1.0"

	# Binary configuration
	settings = "os", "compiler", "build_type", "arch"
	options = {
		"shared": [True, False],
		"fPIC": [True, False],
	}
	default_options = {
		"shared": False,
		"fPIC": True,
	}

	def export_sources(self):
		copy(self, "*.c*", src=self.recipe_folder, dst=self.export_sources_folder)
		copy(self, "*CMakeLists.txt", src=self.recipe_folder, dst=self.export_sources_folder)

	def build_requirements(self):
		self.test_requires("gtest/1.13.0")

	def config_options(self):
		if self.settings.os == "Windows":
			del self.options.fPIC

	def layout(self):
		cmake_layout(self)

	def generate(self):
		vr = VirtualRunEnv(self)
		vr.generate()
		ct = CMakeToolchain(self)
		ct.generate()
		cd = CMakeDeps(self)
		cd.generate()

	def build(self):
		cmake = CMake(self)
		cmake.configure()
		cmake.build()

Copy the following CMakeLists.txt

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.23)

set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED True)
set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
set(PROJECT_NAME test)

project(${PROJECT_NAME} LANGUAGES CXX)

find_package(GTest)

add_library(${PROJECT_NAME})

target_sources(${PROJECT_NAME}
	PRIVATE
		a.cpp
)

target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME}
	PRIVATE
		gtest::gtest
)

Copy the following source file a.cpp

#include <gtest/gtest.h>

std::string	hello()
{
	return "Hello";
}

TEST(testMath, test_hello)
{
    EXPECT_EQ("Hello", hello());
}

Run the following command :

conan build . -verror --settings "&:build_type=Debug" --options="A/*:shared=True" --build=missing

A libtest.so is successfully created in build/Debug. It is linked with a static version of gtest.

Mark the reciped as editable with

conan editable add .

The command returns

Reference 'A/1.0' in editable mode

Create a package B in another folder

Copy the following conanfile.py

from conan import ConanFile
from conan.tools.cmake import CMake, CMakeToolchain, CMakeDeps, cmake_layout
from conan.tools.env import Environment, VirtualBuildEnv, VirtualRunEnv
from conan.tools.files import copy, collect_libs

class Pkg(ConanFile):
	required_conan_version = ">=1.50.0"
	name = "B"
	version = "1.0"

	# Binary configuration
	settings = "os", "compiler", "build_type", "arch"
	options = {
		"shared": [True, False],
		"fPIC": [True, False],
	}
	default_options = {
		"shared": False,
		"fPIC": True,
	}

	def export_sources(self):
		copy(self, "*.c*", src=self.recipe_folder, dst=self.export_sources_folder)
		copy(self, "*CMakeLists.txt", src=self.recipe_folder, dst=self.export_sources_folder)

	def requirements(self):
		self.requires("A/1.0")
	def config_options(self):
		if self.settings.os == "Windows":
			del self.options.fPIC

	def layout(self):
		cmake_layout(self)

	def generate(self):
		vr = VirtualRunEnv(self)
		vr.generate()
		ct = CMakeToolchain(self)
		ct.generate()
		cd = CMakeDeps(self)
		cd.generate()

	def build(self):
		cmake = CMake(self)
		cmake.configure()
		cmake.build()

Copy the following CMakeLists.txt

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.23)

set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED True)
set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
set(PROJECT_NAME test)

project(${PROJECT_NAME} LANGUAGES CXX)

add_executable(${PROJECT_NAME})

target_sources(${PROJECT_NAME}
	PRIVATE
		b.cpp
)

Copy the following source file b.cpp

int	main()
{
	return 0;
}

Run the command

conan build . -verror --settings "&:build_type=Debug" --build=missing

The following error shows up:

ERROR: A/1.0: Error in generate() method, line 49
        cd.generate()
        ConanException: error generating context for 'gtest/1.13.0': include is not absolute

Expected results : Package B should compile without any issue.

From my understanding, this happens whenever a shared library links with a static one. Compiling gtest as a shared library fixes the issue. However, gtest is usually compiled as a static library.

The issue also happens:

• While using Boost as a dependency and compiled as a shared library. I get the same error with libbacktrace, even though it is not a direct dependency of my project (but used by Boost).
• With any non direct dependency that I didn't specify to be built as shared ones.

Might be another bug : self.options does not affect packages added with test_requirements. (e.g: gtest)

[memsharded]

Hi @Todiq

Thanks very much for your detailed report. I am having a look.

Quick side feedback:

• Package names in Conan 2.0 must be all lowercase and contain more than 1 letter. This doesn't launch an error at the moment for editables, but it might launch it at anytime. You can see the error if you try to conan create
• The required_conan_version = ">=1.50.0" is not a class attribute, in order to work you need to put it outside the class, at the file level.

[memsharded]

Your reproducible case really helped to reproduce, thanks very much again for such a reduced and clean repro case.
Indeed a bug, the deps of "editable" packages could be skipped, I am proposing a fix for next 2.0.3 in #13544

[memsharded]

Closed by #13544, it will be released in next 2.0.3, thanks!