Build TeXmacs using CMake and Homebrew

Here is a detailed guide to build GNU TeXmacs using CMake and Homebrew.

Install build tools and necessary dependencies

Install Homebrew and build essentials

Homebrew is a package manger for macOS. Typically, we install Homebrew first, and then use the brew command line to install build tools and dependencies to build TeXmacs.

Xcode Command Line Tools provide the C/C++ compiler. It is required. TeXmacs can not be built without a C/C++ compiler. And TeXmacs is designed to be customizable using Scheme. If you want to be a power user of TeXmacs but not want to compile TeXmacs, please browse the built-in documents under Help→Scheme extensions.

The rest part of this guide is maintained in a Shell session (Insert→Session→Shell). Yes, if you are browsing this guide using TeXmacs, the commands can be executed.

Global Variables

GROUP_DIR=$HOME/texmacs

T_HOMEBREW_DIR=$GROUP_DIR/homebrew

T_TEXMACS_DIR=$GROUP_DIR/texmacs

These global variables should be executed manually every time you use this note.

Check Homebrew installation

Shell] 

brew --version

Check Xcode Command Line Tools installation

Shell] 

$(xcode-select --print-path)/usr/bin/cc --version

Install CMake and check

Shell] 

cmake --version || brew install cmake

Install GNU Guile 1.8

Clone texmacs/homebrew

Shell] 

[[ -d "$T_HOMEBREW_DIR" ]] && echo "texmacs/homebrew is cloned" || echo "Please clone texmacs/homebrew first"

[[ ! -d $T_HOMEBREW_DIR ]] && git clone git@github.com:texmacs/homebrew.git $T_HOMEBREW_DIR

[[ ! -d $T_HOMEBREW_DIR ]] && git clone https://github.com/texmacs/guile.git $T_HOMEBREW_DIR

Shell] 

[[ -d $T_HOMEBREW_DIR ]] && echo "texmacs/homebrew is cloned"

Install guile 1.8 using brew

cd $T_HOMEBREW_DIR && brew install guile@1.8.rb

Install Qt

Install Qt 4

For GNU TeXmacs 1.99.15, please use Qt 4 if you want to build and package TeXmacs by yourself. Qt 4 has been removed in the official homebrew repo. We need extra steps to install Qt 4 via brew:

Shell] 

brew tap cartr/qt4

brew tap-pin cartr/qt4

Shell] 

brew install qt@4  # will link qt

Shell] 

/usr/local/Cellar/qt@4/4.8.7_6/bin/qmake --version

Switch between Qt 4 and Qt 5

Sometimes, we need to keep both Qt 4 and Qt 5 installed by homebrew. To switch between Qt 4 and Qt 5:

Shell] 

qmake --version

Shell] 

brew unlink qt@4 && brew link qt --force

Shell] 

qmake --version

Shell] 

brew unlink qt && brew link qt@4

Shell] 

qmake --version

If you have trouble on brew link qt –force and brew unlink qt. Make sure that you have installed Qt before using homebrew:

Shell] 

brew install qt

Install Ghostscript

Shell] 

gs --version || brew install ghostscript

Missing dependencies

Please create PRs to update this note for any missing dependencies.

Build

Clone texmacs/texmacs and build it

[[ ! -d $T_TEXMACS_DIR ]] && git clone git@github.com:texmacs/texmacs.git $T_TEXMACS_DIR

mkdir -p $T_TEXMACS_DIR/build

Shell] 

cd $T_TEXMACS_DIR/build && cmake -DQT_QMAKE_EXECUTABLE=/usr/local/Cellar/qt@4/4.8.7_6/bin/qmake -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=./TeXmacs.app/Contents/Resources ..

cd $T_TEXMACS_DIR/build && make -j8 install

Use ccache for faster build

Toggle the menu entry Focus→Output options→Show timings as checked.

Shell] 

sleep 2

Execute the sleep command, and you will find the timings are listed on the right side.

Compile TeXmacs without or with ccache, the elapse time should be reduced with ccache.

cd $T_TEXMACS_DIR/build && make -j8

Shell] 

ccache --version || brew install ccache

cd $T_TEXMACS_DIR/build && make -j8

As long as ccache is available, CMake will use it to boost the compilation.

Testing

Running the C++ Unit Tests

cd $T_TEXMACS_DIR/build && ctest

Testing the binary

Shell] 

$T_TEXMACS_DIR/build/TeXmacs.app/Contents/MacOS/TeXmacs --version

Shell] 

$T_TEXMACS_DIR/build/TeXmacs.app/Contents/MacOS/TeXmacs --help

Testing the App

open $T_TEXMACS_DIR/build # click the app to test it as a user