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Fix idraw from PyPI wheel that fails with "invalid ELF header". #3771

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Fix idraw from PyPI wheel that fails with "invalid ELF header". #3771

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fa96b13
cmake: force PIE executables + disable dynamic X11 on Linux wheels
nrnhines May 14, 2026
c6e37fa
TEMP: test wheel build from hines/nrn-PIE-idraw-fix
nrnhines May 15, 2026
d15a3a1
Revert "TEMP: test wheel build from hines/nrn-PIE-idraw-fix"
nrnhines May 15, 2026
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nrnhines May 15, 2026
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21 changes: 21 additions & 0 deletions CMakeLists.txt
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -21,6 +21,27 @@ project(
LANGUAGES C CXX
HOMEPAGE_URL "https://nrn.readthedocs.io/")

# =============================================================================
# Fixes for Linux wheels
# =============================================================================

# Force PIE for all executables (idraw, nrniv, etc.) This was the root cause of the original
# "invalid ELF header: RTLD_GLOBAL" error.
cmake_policy(SET CMP0083 NEW)

@mgeplf mgeplf May 18, 2026

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isn't this implied by cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.19 FATAL_ERROR)? I think it's only 3.13 and earlier that use the old behavior?

set(CMAKE_POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE
ON
CACHE BOOL "Force PIE for NEURON + InterViews" FORCE)

# Disable fragile dynamic X11 loading *only* for Linux wheels. This was triggering the (null)

@mgeplf mgeplf May 18, 2026

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is there a way we could add a test for this, so we aren't bitten by it again?

@nrnhines nrnhines May 18, 2026

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I believe so. I'll look into adding a readelf -h $NRNHOME/bin/idraw | grep Type that ought to return

$ readelf -h $NRNHOME/bin/idraw | grep Type
  Type:                              DYN (Position-Independent Executable file)

instead of

$ readelf -h $NRNHOME/bin/idraw | grep Type
  Type:                              EXEC (Executable file)

Ironically, I need to investigate this PR more thoroughly as, on the surface, 100% of the fix is the "Disable fragile dynamic X11 loading". (I.e. a wheel created by

$ bash packaging/python/build_wheels.bash linux 314

still shows

  Type:                              EXEC (Executable file)

wheras one created by

$ python3.14 -m build --wheel --no-isolation --outdir /tmp/testwheel   --config-setting=build.verbose=true

shows

  Type:                              DYN (Position-Independent Executable file)

# RTLD_GLOBAL error. macOS wheels and normal/local Linux builds keep the original default (ON).
if(SKBUILD
AND UNIX
AND NOT APPLE)
set(IV_ENABLE_X11_DYNAMIC
OFF
CACHE BOOL "Disable on Linux wheels" FORCE)
endif()

# =============================================================================
# CMake common project settings
# =============================================================================
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