[REOPENED] Building units fails after updating fpmake.pp (for sinclair
QL)
lazarus / 64-FPC development

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NormanDunbar · 2026-04-18 13:36

Good afternoon.

Here's a timeline showing the problem I'm having, TL;DR is building
the units, RTL or cross compiler fails after amending the fpmake.pp
file for the units.

Code: Bash  [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i
#--------------------------------------------------------------# Start
with a clean slate.rm -Rf FPC_Source/git clone
git@gitlab.com:freepascal.org/fpc/source.git --depth 1 FPC_Sourcecd FP
C_Source/#------------------------------------------------------------
--#--------------------------------------------------------------#
Build cross compiler.make clean OS_TARGET=sinclairql
CPU_TARGET=m68kmake crossall OS_TARGET=sinclairql CPU_TARGET=m68k#----
---------------------------------------------------------#------------
--------------------------------------------------# Install the cross
comiler.make crossinstall OS_TARGET=sinclairql CPU_TARGET=m68k INSTALL
_PREFIX=/home/norman/bin#---------------------------------------------
-----------------#----------------------------------------------------
----------# Symlink it to "fpc-ql".ln -s lib/fpc/n.n.n/ppcross68k fpc-
ql#--------------------------------------------------------------#----
----------------------------------------------------------# Build RTL
with the cross compiler.make rtl_cleanall OS_TARGET=sinclairql
CPU_TARGET=m68kmake rtl_all RELEASE=1 FPC=fpc-ql OS_TARGET=sinclairql
CPU_TARGET=m68k#------------------------------------------------------
--------#-------------------------------------------------------------
-# Build the QL units with the cross compiler.make packages_clean
OS_TARGET=sinclairql CPU_TARGET=m68kmake packages RELEASE=1 FPC=fpc-ql
OS_TARGET=sinclairql CPU_TARGET=m68k#---------------------------------
-----------------------------#----------------------------------------
----------------------# Do my work here. I've created a new "screen"
unit for the QL.# But even if I do nothing, the problem still occurs.#
--------------------------------------------------------------#-------
-------------------------------------------------------# Build the QL
units with the cross compiler - BEFORE updating fpmake.pp.make
packages_clean OS_TARGET=sinclairql CPU_TARGET=m68kmake packages
RELEASE=1 FPC=fpc-ql OS_TARGET=sinclairql CPU_TARGET=m68k#------------
--------------------------------------------------#-------------------
-------------------------------------------# Amend
packages/qlunits/fpmake.pp # Here I'm simply touching it, I could
amend it to add my unit name to the build.ls -l
packages/qlunits/fpmake.pp-rw-rw-r-- 1 norman norman 1270 Apr 18 13:45
packages/qlunits/fpmake.pp touch packages/qlunits/fpmake.pp ls -l
packages/qlunits/fpmake.pp-rw-rw-r-- 1 norman norman 1270 Apr 18 13:53
packages/qlunits/fpmake.pp#-------------------------------------------
-------------------#--------------------------------------------------
------------# Build the QL units with the cross compiler - AFTER
updating fpmake.pp.make packages_clean OS_TARGET=sinclairql
CPU_TARGET=m68kmake packages RELEASE=1 FPC=fpc-ql OS_TARGET=sinclairql
CPU_TARGET=m68k#------------------------------------------------------
--------
And then, this happens...

Code: Text  [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i make -C
packages allmake[1]: Entering directory
'/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/packages'make -C ../rtl all
FPC=/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/compiler/ppcmake[2]: Entering
directory '/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/rtl'make -C sinclairql
allmake[3]: Entering directory
'/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/rtl/sinclairql'make[3]: Leaving directory
'/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/rtl/sinclairql'make[2]: Leaving directory
'/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/rtl'make -C fpmkunit bootstrap
FPC=/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/compiler/ppcmake[2]: Entering
directory
'/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/packages/fpmkunit'/usr/bin/mkdir -p
units_bs/x86_64-linux/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/compiler/ppc
src/fpmkunit.pp -n -Fu/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/rtl
-FUunits_bs/x86_64-linux -Fu../paszlib/src -Fu../hash/src
-Fi../paszlib/src -Cg -Fi../fcl-process/src/unix -Fu../fcl-process/src
-Fi../fcl-process/src/linux -Fu../libtar/src fpmkunit.pp(30,10) Fatal:
Can't find unit system used by fpMkUnitFatal: Compilation
abortedmake[2]: *** [Makefile:2837: bootstrap] Error 1make[2]: Leaving
directory '/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/packages/fpmkunit'make[1]: ***
[Makefile:2024: fpmake] Error 2make[1]: Leaving directory
'/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/packages'make: *** [Makefile:3237:
packages] Error 2 
Now, I haven't even changed the content of fpmake.pp, I simply
"touched" it, but the same error occurs if I add my new unit name to
the file, or if I open and save it unchanged etc. As soon as that file
changes, everything crashes. Now, I can no longer build the units, the
rtl or the cross compiler.

Up until I change that file in any way, I can build and rebuild the
cross compiler, the RTL and the units many times over.

I've run another test, in case it was somehow my new unit, but I
didn't add in the new unit file, everything works fine up until
fpmake.pp gets touched/changed then nothing will compile.

Once again, I'm grateful for any assistance that can be offered. When
I last built units, around 2023, I never encountered this problem.


Cheers,
Norm.

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NormanDunbar · 2026-04-18 16:39

I'm not sure if it matters, but my cross compiler's fpc.cfg is located
in ${INSTALL_DIR}/lib/fpc/etc/fpc.cfg, and the content is as follows:

#IFDEF CPUM68K
-Tsinclairql
-Fu/home/norman/bin/lib/fpc/$fpcversion/units/$fpccpu-$fpcos
-Fu/home/norman/bin/lib/fpc/$fpcversion/units/$fpccpu-$fpcos/*
#IFDEF SINCLAIRQL
-FD/usr/local/bin
-XPm68k-sinclairql-
#ENDIF
#ENDIF

$fpcversion is 3.3.1.
$fpccpu is m68k
$fpcos is sinclairql.

There are unit files (*.o and *.ppu)  in both of those locations. One
of which is named system.o and system.ppu.

For my host compiler, the config file is /etc/fpc.cfg and it has the
following "-Fu" options:


-Fu/usr/lib/fpc/$fpcversion/units/$fpctarget/$fpcsubarch-
$fpcmemorymodel
-Fu/usr/lib/fpc/$fpcversion/units/$fpctarget/$fpcsubarch-
$fpcmemorymodel/*
-Fu/usr/lib/fpc/$fpcversion/units/$fpctarget/$fpcsubarch-
$fpcmemorymodel/rtl
-Fu/usr/lib/fpc/$fpcversion/units/$fpctarget
-Fu/usr/lib/fpc/$fpcversion/units/$fpctarget/*
-Fu/usr/lib/fpc/$fpcversion/units/$fpctarget/rtl
-Fu/usr/lib/fpc/$fpcversion/units/$fpctarget/httpd13/
-Fu/usr/lib/fpc/$fpcversion/units/$fpctarget/httpd20
-Fu/usr/lib/fpc/$fpcversion/units/$fpctarget/httpd22
-Fu~/.fppkg/lib/fpc/$fpcversion/units/$FPCTARGET/*

The only ones that exist are these two:


-Fu/usr/lib/fpc/$fpcversion/units/$fpctarget
-Fu/usr/lib/fpc/$fpcversion/units/$fpctarget/*


And, there are a lot of units in there.


Cheers,
Norm.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
NormanDunbar · 2026-04-23 10:10

Problem solved! I installed Lazarus and it broke my installation of
FPC.

FPC was originally installed into /usr/local/bin but Lazarus installed
into /usr/local. This messed up my cross compiler's unit paths. 


Cheers,
Norm.

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Thaddy · 2026-04-23 10:18

You can avoid that in the future by specifying PREFIX=/usr I believe.

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NormanDunbar · 2026-06-02 11:01

Well, it looks like I was incorrect in my assumptions. The problem has
reared up again.

I build a cross compiler.
I built the RTL.
I built the units.

All worked fine.

I wrote new units and it all fell apart. After investigating, it seems
that *any* changes to packages/qlunits/fpmake.pp to add the new uints
and/or examples --- even a simple "touch" --- results in a failure to
build the cross compiler and/or the units. The RTL builds fine.

Code: Bash  [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i make
packages_clean OS_TARGET=sinclairql CPU_TARGET=m68kmake packages
RELEASE=1 FPC=fpc-ql OS_TARGET=sinclairql CPU_TARGET=m68k
The result is:

Code: Bash  [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i Cleaning QL
Unit files in
~/SourceCode/FPC_Source.../home/norman/SourceCode/FPC_Sourcemake -C
packages cleanmake[1]: Entering directory
'/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/packages'make -C fpmkunit
clean_bootstrapmake[2]: Entering directory
'/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/packages/fpmkunit'/usr/bin/rm -rf
units_bsmake[2]: Leaving directory
'/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/packages/fpmkunit'./fpmake clean
--localunitdir=.. --os=sinclairql --cpu=m68k -o -Tsinclairql -o -Pm68k
-o -XPm68k-sinclairql- -o -Ur -o -Xs -o -O2 -o -n -o -dm68k -o
-dRELEASE --compiler=/usr/bin/fpc -bu -scpmake[1]: Leaving directory
'/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/packages'Building QL Unit files in
~/SourceCode/FPC_Source...make -C packages allmake[1]: Entering
directory '/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/packages'make -C ../rtl all
FPC=/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/compiler/ppcmake[2]: Entering
directory '/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/rtl'make -C sinclairql
allmake[3]: Entering directory
'/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/rtl/sinclairql'make[3]: Leaving directory
'/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/rtl/sinclairql'make[2]: Leaving directory
'/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/rtl'make -C fpmkunit bootstrap
FPC=/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/compiler/ppcmake[2]: Entering
directory
'/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/packages/fpmkunit'/usr/bin/mkdir -p
units_bs/x86_64-linux/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/compiler/ppc
src/fpmkunit.pp -n -Fu/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/rtl
-FUunits_bs/x86_64-linux -Fu../paszlib/src -Fu../hash/src
-Fi../paszlib/src -Cg -Fi../fcl-process/src/unix -Fu../fcl-process/src
-Fi../fcl-process/src/linux -Fu../libtar/src fpmkunit.pp(30,10) Fatal:
Can't find unit system used by fpMkUnitFatal: Compilation
abortedmake[2]: *** [Makefile:2837: bootstrap] Error 1make[2]: Leaving
directory '/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/packages/fpmkunit'make[1]: ***
[Makefile:2024: fpmake] Error 2make[1]: Leaving directory
'/data/SourceCode/FPC_Source/packages'make: *** [Makefile:3247:
packages] Error 2 
It's driving me mad trying to get this sorted out. Surely a simple
"touch" of the fpmake.pp file shouldn't cause so much carnage?

All help gratefully received, thanks.

Cheers,
Norm.

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NormanDunbar · 2026-06-04 09:08

I still have no idea why simply "touching" the fpmake.pp for my units
causes so many problems, but I have a workaround.

Code: Bash  [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i cd
FPC_Sourcemake distclean # Rebuild the cross compiler.# Rebuilt the
rtl.# Rebuild the units. 
A monumental PITA, but at least it works.

Cheers,
Norm.