Unable to build cabal-dev-0.9.2

[vjchem]

Hi, I'm unable to build cabal-dev (or install it via cabal). Here's my system details:
$ cabal --version
cabal-install version 1.16.0.2
using version 1.16.0.3 of the Cabal library

$ ghc --version
The Glorious Glasgow Haskell Compilation System, version 7.4.2

And the error:
$ cabal build
Building cabal-dev-0.9.2...
Preprocessing executable 'ghc-pkg-6_8-compat' for cabal-dev-0.9.2...
Preprocessing executable 'fake-ghc-cabal-dev' for cabal-dev-0.9.2...
Preprocessing executable 'cabal-dev' for cabal-dev-0.9.2...
[ 8 of 19] Compiling Distribution.Dev.CabalInstall ( src/Distribution/Dev/CabalInstall.hs, dist/build/cabal-dev/cabal-dev-tmp/Distribution/Dev/CabalInstall.o )
Loading package ghc-prim ... linking ... done.
Loading package integer-gmp ... linking ... done.
Loading package base ... linking ... done.
Loading package bytestring-0.9.2.1 ... linking ... done.
Loading package zlib-0.5.4.0 ... linking ... done.
Loading package array-0.4.0.0 ... linking ... done.
Loading package deepseq-1.3.0.0 ... linking ... done.
Loading package containers-0.5.2.1 ... linking ... done.
Loading package pretty-1.1.1.0 ... linking ... done.
Loading package template-haskell ... linking ... done.
Loading package filepath-1.3.0.0 ... linking ... done.
Loading package old-locale-1.0.0.4 ... linking ... done.
Loading package old-time-1.1.0.0 ... linking ... done.
Loading package unix-2.5.1.1 ... linking ... done.
Loading package directory-1.1.0.2 ... linking ... done.
Loading package time-1.4 ... linking ... done.
Loading package tar-0.4.0.1 ... linking ... done.
Loading package setenv-0.1.0 ... linking ... done.
Loading package transformers-0.3.0.0 ... linking ... done.
Loading package mtl-2.1.2 ... linking ... done.
Loading package text-0.11.2.3 ... linking ... done.
Loading package parsec-3.1.3 ... linking ... done.
Loading package network-2.3.1.0 ... linking ... done.
Loading package HTTP-4000.2.5 ... linking ... done.
Loading package process-1.1.0.1 ... linking ... done.
Loading package Cabal-1.16.0.3 ... linking ... done.
cabal --help
Interrogating cabal-install executable:
cabal install --help
cabal install --help
cabal update --help
cabal list --help
cabal info --help
cabal fetch --help
cabal unpack --help
cabal check --help
cabal sdist --help
cabal upload --help
cabal report --help
cabal init --help
cabal configure --help
cabal build --help
cabal copy --help
cabal haddock --help
cabal clean --help
cabal hscolour --help
cabal register --help
cabal test --help
cabal bench --help
cabal upgrade --help
cabal help --help

src/Distribution/Dev/CabalInstall.hs:118:3:
Illegal type variable name: `'
When splicing a TH declaration: stringToCommand ::

I'm just learning Haskell so I'm not having too much success debugging this myself, but am happy to help if you need other information.

[markandrus]

I'm posting here because I have the same versions of cabal and ghc, but a different error after line src/Distribution/Dev/CabalInstall.hs:118:3:.

$ cabal --version
cabal-install version 1.16.0.2
using version 1.16.0.3 of the Cabal library

$ ghc --version
The Glorious Glasgow Haskell Compilation System, version 7.4.2

$ cabal install cabal-dev         
Resolving dependencies...
[1 of 1] Compiling Main             ( /var/folders/cd/73686r0574x0mpb30w0brjvc0000gp/T/cabal-dev-0.9.2-46140/cabal-dev-0.9.2/Setup.hs, /var/folders/cd/73686r0574x0mpb30w0brjvc0000gp/T/cabal-dev-0.9.2-46140/cabal-dev-0.9.2/dist/setup/Main.o )
Linking /var/folders/cd/73686r0574x0mpb30w0brjvc0000gp/T/cabal-dev-0.9.2-46140/cabal-dev-0.9.2/dist/setup/setup ...
Configuring cabal-dev-0.9.2...
Building cabal-dev-0.9.2...
Preprocessing executable 'ghc-pkg-6_8-compat' for cabal-dev-0.9.2...
[1 of 1] Compiling Main             ( src/GhcPkgCompat.hs, dist/build/ghc-pkg-6_8-compat/ghc-pkg-6_8-compat-tmp/Main.o )
Linking dist/build/ghc-pkg-6_8-compat/ghc-pkg-6_8-compat ...
Preprocessing executable 'fake-ghc-cabal-dev' for cabal-dev-0.9.2...
[1 of 2] Compiling Distribution.Dev.GhcArgs ( src/Distribution/Dev/GhcArgs.hs, dist/build/fake-ghc-cabal-dev/fake-ghc-cabal-dev-tmp/Distribution/Dev/GhcArgs.o )
[2 of 2] Compiling Main             ( src/FakeGhc.hs, dist/build/fake-ghc-cabal-dev/fake-ghc-cabal-dev-tmp/Main.o )
Linking dist/build/fake-ghc-cabal-dev/fake-ghc-cabal-dev ...
Preprocessing executable 'cabal-dev' for cabal-dev-0.9.2...
[ 1 of 19] Compiling Distribution.Dev.MergeCabalConfig ( src/Distribution/Dev/MergeCabalConfig.hs, dist/build/cabal-dev/cabal-dev-tmp/Distribution/Dev/MergeCabalConfig.o )
[ 2 of 19] Compiling Distribution.Dev.RewriteCabalConfig ( src/Distribution/Dev/RewriteCabalConfig.hs, dist/build/cabal-dev/cabal-dev-tmp/Distribution/Dev/RewriteCabalConfig.o )
[ 3 of 19] Compiling Distribution.Dev.GhcArgs ( src/Distribution/Dev/GhcArgs.hs, dist/build/cabal-dev/cabal-dev-tmp/Distribution/Dev/GhcArgs.o )
[ 4 of 19] Compiling Distribution.Dev.Utilities ( src/Distribution/Dev/Utilities.hs, dist/build/cabal-dev/cabal-dev-tmp/Distribution/Dev/Utilities.o )
[ 5 of 19] Compiling Distribution.Dev.InterrogateCabalInstall ( src/Distribution/Dev/InterrogateCabalInstall.hs, dist/build/cabal-dev/cabal-dev-tmp/Distribution/Dev/InterrogateCabalInstall.o )
[ 6 of 19] Compiling Distribution.Dev.TH.DeriveCabalCommands ( src/Distribution/Dev/TH/DeriveCabalCommands.hs, dist/build/cabal-dev/cabal-dev-tmp/Distribution/Dev/TH/DeriveCabalCommands.o )
[ 7 of 19] Compiling Paths_cabal_dev  ( dist/build/autogen/Paths_cabal_dev.hs, dist/build/cabal-dev/cabal-dev-tmp/Paths_cabal_dev.o )
[ 8 of 19] Compiling Distribution.Dev.CabalInstall ( src/Distribution/Dev/CabalInstall.hs, dist/build/cabal-dev/cabal-dev-tmp/Distribution/Dev/CabalInstall.o )
Loading package ghc-prim ... linking ... done.
Loading package integer-gmp ... linking ... done.
Loading package base ... linking ... done.
Loading package bytestring-0.9.2.1 ... linking ... done.
Loading package zlib-0.5.4.0 ... linking ... done.
Loading package array-0.4.0.0 ... linking ... done.
Loading package deepseq-1.3.0.0 ... linking ... done.
Loading package containers-0.5.2.1 ... linking ... done.
Loading package pretty-1.1.1.0 ... linking ... done.
Loading package template-haskell ... linking ... done.
Loading package filepath-1.3.0.0 ... linking ... done.
Loading package old-locale-1.0.0.4 ... linking ... done.
Loading package old-time-1.1.0.0 ... linking ... done.
Loading package unix-2.5.1.1 ... linking ... done.
Loading package directory-1.1.0.2 ... linking ... done.
Loading package time-1.4 ... linking ... done.
Loading package tar-0.4.0.1 ... linking ... done.
Loading package setenv-0.1.0 ... linking ... done.
Loading package transformers-0.3.0.0 ... linking ... done.
Loading package mtl-2.1.2 ... linking ... done.
Loading package text-0.11.2.3 ... linking ... done.
Loading package parsec-3.1.3 ... linking ... done.
Loading package network-2.3.1.0 ... linking ... done.
Loading package HTTP-4000.2.5 ... linking ... done.
Loading package process-1.1.0.1 ... linking ... done.
Loading package Cabal-1.16.0.3 ... linking ... done.
cabal --help
Interrogating cabal-install executable:
cabal install --help
cabal install --help
cabal update --help
cabal list --help
cabal info --help
cabal fetch --help
cabal unpack --help
cabal check --help
cabal sdist --help
cabal upload --help
cabal report --help
cabal init --help
cabal configure --help
cabal build --help
cabal copy --help
cabal haddock --help
cabal clean --help
cabal hscolour --help
cabal register --help
cabal test --help
cabal bench --help
cabal upgrade --help
cabal help --help

src/Distribution/Dev/CabalInstall.hs:118:3:Failed to install cabal-dev-0.9.2
cabal: Error: some packages failed to install:
cabal-dev-0.9.2 failed during the building phase. The exception was:
ExitFailure 11

[markandrus]

In my case, I had both template-haskell-2.7.0.0 and template-haskell-2.8.0.0 installed (noticed this when trying to build an unrelated project and ld gave duplicate symbol errors).

Did the following to get cabal-dev building:

1. ghc-pkg unregister template-haskell-2.8.0.0.
2. Edited cabal-dev.cabal to specify template-haskell-2.7.0.0 rather than template-haskell.
3. cabal install --force-reinstalls with fingers crossed.

Seems to have worked in my case.

[vjchem]

That was it for me too, I had both of those versions of template-haskell installed. Thanks, Mark.

I'll leave this issue open in case you all want to do anything with it, but things are working for me.

[agocorona]

In my case the log is the same, but at the end:

src\Distribution\Dev\CabalInstall.hs:118:3:Segmentation fault/access violation i
n generated code
cabal: Error: some packages failed to install:
cabal-dev-0.9.2 failed during the building phase. The exception was:
ExitFailure 1

I use ghc-7.4.2

It seems a problem in the compiler with the template Haskell version.

The cabal-dev.cabal file warn about the problem:

  -- Template haskell is special: the compiler will die if a
  -- version other than the one that is shipped with the compiler
  -- is used. Here, we don't constrain the version and hope that
  -- there will be only one.

the markandrus solution works for me too.

[ppetr]

I had the same problem as markandrus, and managed to solve it using

cabal install --solver=modular --avoid-reinstalls --constraint='template-haskell == 2.7.0.0'