Testbed failure in textual-linux

[proneon267]

Describe the bug

The textual-linux testbed CI is failing to set up requirements and start the testbed. This is happening on the textual-linux CI for the last 3 CI runs:
https://github.com/beeware/toga/actions/runs/12427830421/job/34698452652
https://github.com/beeware/toga/actions/runs/12430817079/job/34707115530
https://github.com/beeware/toga/actions/runs/12431290185/job/34708559995
https://github.com/beeware/toga/actions/runs/12431722393/job/34709843187

Expected behavior

The textual-linux CI should be able to setup requirements and run the testbed.

Environment

• Operating System: textual-linux CI
• Python version:
• Software versions:
  • Briefcase:
  • Toga: latest main branch
  • ...

[rmartin16]

Interesting....GitHub apparently decided not to install the meta-package build-essential since all its constituent packages are installed...

sidenote: Logs for CI runs are ephemeral; so, I recommend copying out the important bits.

[testbed] Finalizing application configuration...
Targeting ubuntu:noble (Vendor base debian)
Determining glibc version... started
Determining glibc version... done
Targeting glibc 2.39
Targeting Python3.12

[testbed] Generating application template...
Using app template: https://github.com/beeware/briefcase-linux-system-template.git, branch v0.3.21
Cloning template 'https://github.com/beeware/briefcase-linux-system-template.git'...
Template branch v0.3.21 not found; falling back to development template
Using existing template (sha ae694c2a78c580c81b1c26537d14d2e8f4d94667, updated Sun Oct 27 10:38:13 2024)

[testbed] Installing support package...
No support package required.

Unable to build testbed due to missing system dependencies. Run:

    sudo apt install build-essential

to install the missing dependencies, and re-run Briefcase.

[rmartin16]

Quick fix is to run the test on ubuntu-22.04 instead of ubuntu-latest (which is in the process of switching to ubuntu-24.04).

[freakboy3742]

@rmartin16 If I'm understanding this right:

• the immediate workaround is to explicitly install build-essential in the textual CI environment; and
• the long term fix is to modify briefcase to look for the constituent packages of build-essential (or, at least, the ones we care about) rather than looking for build-essential

Is that correct?

[rmartin16]

the immediate workaround is to explicitly install build-essential in the textual CI environment; and

yeah; this is the best quick fix.

the long term fix is to modify briefcase to look for the constituent packages of build-essential (or, at least, the ones we care about) rather than looking for build-essential

hmm...this is an option; although, we provide direct feedback to users to just install the meta-package. So, it might just be best to leave it this way and manage automation environments ourselves.

[freakboy3742]

the long term fix is to modify briefcase to look for the constituent packages of build-essential (or, at least, the ones we care about) rather than looking for build-essential

hmm...this is an option; although, we provide direct feedback to users to just install the meta-package. So, it might just be best to leave it this way and manage automation environments ourselves.

I mean - our advice can be to just install the meta-package, but that doesn't have to mean that's the thing we literally inspect for as an installed package. gcc will be installed either way; if inspecting for gcc instead of build-essential is more reliable, why not look for that, and then tell the user to install build-essential if it isn't there? (ok, it's more than just gcc, but hopefully you get my point)