Fix MacOS 10.15 package installation error

[nickjjzhao]

Change Description

EPE-2017

The Test Package step for macOS 10.15 Catalina fails continuously on all eos branches (example1 and example2). It started at early Jan 2022. It looks like the Test Package fails whenever it has output "Checking for dependents of upgraded formulae". I didn't see this output in a previously passed test (example1 and example2).

After changing environment variable HOMEBREW_NO_INSTALLED_DEPENDENTS_CHECK to false, the Test Package passed. Here is the description about this variable:

HOMEBREW_NO_INSTALLED_DEPENDENTS_CHECK:    {
  description: "If set, do not check for broken linkage of dependents or outdated dependents after " \
               "installing, upgrading or reinstalling formulae. This will result in fewer dependents " \
               " (and their dependencies) being upgraded or reinstalled but may result in more breakage " \
               "from running `brew install <formula>` or `brew upgrade <formula>`.",
  boolean:     true,
},

Change Type

Select ONE:

• Documentation

• Stability bug fix

• Other

• Other - special case

Testing Changes

Select ANY that apply:

• New Tests

• Existing Tests

• Test Framework

• CI System

• Other

Consensus Changes

• Consensus Changes

API Changes

• API Changes

Documentation Additions

• Documentation Additions

[kj4ezj]

It seems like this covers up a real dependency problem with our package configuration rather than fixing it. During your research, did you find any other software projects on the web asking their customers to mess with the internal workings of their package manager just to do an install?

I have never had to do anything remotely like this to install a package with Homebrew. I think if we aren't going to support Homebrew correctly, we should just delete it.

[williamblevins]

This explains why installing it twice or running the fix links command works but it's hideous this is the default Homebrew behavior. I don't see a way to force this in the formulae itself.

[williamblevins]

Can we try (rather than setting this export) brew list --formula | xargs -I % sh -c 'brew unlink %; brew link %' after brew update to see if its a problem with the existing installed formula?

[nickjjzhao]

Test Package failed https://buildkite.com/EOSIO/eosio/builds/32239#3d89b1f3-3a2b-49f6-87f8-f07fc422c033 after trying brew list --formula | xargs -I % sh -c 'brew unlink %; brew link %'. Will keep setting this export as a fix since we can't prove it’s eosio, and the fix suggests its a problem with the existing installed packages.

[kj4ezj]

the fix suggests its a problem with the existing installed packages.

I thought the point of this test is that this is a clean image with no existing installed formula. What brew packages are already installed?

[nickjjzhao]

Updating my comments: the fix suggests some broken linkage of dependents or outdated dependents after installing, upgrading or reinstalling formulae.