make error on macOS 14.6.1

[martin3141]

Describe the bug Following error when running make -s for pdf-tools:

Using Emacs 29.1 configure: error: Package requirements (poppler) were not met:

No package 'poppler' found

Consider adjusting the PKG_CONFIG_PATH environment variable if you installed software in a non-standard prefix.

Alternatively, you may set the environment variables poppler_CFLAGS and poppler_LIBS to avoid the need to call pkg-config. See the pkg-config man page for more details. make: *** [Makefile:89: server/Makefile] Error 1

Steps to Reproduce the behaviour

git clone https://github.com/vedang/pdf-tools
cd pdf-tools
make -s

What is the expected behaviour?

successful install

Desktop

• OS: 14.61
• Emacs Version: 29.1
• Poppler Version: stable 24.04.0 (bottled), HEAD

Your pdf-tools install

• pdf-tools Version: from github : commit 30b50544e55b8dbf683c2d932d5c33ac73323a16 (HEAD -> master, origin/master, origin/HEAD)

[eli-tziperman]

Same problem for me, although I have: poppler 25.12.0 is already installed and up-to-date. This problem started only with the most recent updates this week. The installations/updates of PDF-Tools worked well before.

[vedang]

Instead of running make -s, run ./server/autobuild and see if that succeeds instead.

The problem is that pkg_config cannot find poppler. This is unlikely to be caused by the recent update to pdf-tools, and more likely to be caused by some brew related update issues.

Please share the output of ./server/autobuild if it fails and reopen this ticket.

[martin3141]

I don't have permission to reopen this issue, but here is the output from ./server/autobuild (no change with -d option)

---------------------------
    Installing packages    
---------------------------
brew install pkg-config poppler autoconf automake
Warning: pkgconf 2.5.1 is already installed and up-to-date.
To reinstall 2.5.1, run:
  brew reinstall pkgconf
Warning: poppler 25.12.0 is already installed and up-to-date.
To reinstall 25.12.0, run:
  brew reinstall poppler
Warning: autoconf 2.72 is already installed and up-to-date.
To reinstall 2.72, run:
  brew reinstall autoconf
Warning: automake 1.18.1 is already installed and up-to-date.
To reinstall 1.18.1, run:
  brew reinstall automake

---------------------------
 Configuring and compiling 
---------------------------
./configure -q  && make clean && make -s
configure: error: Package requirements (poppler) were not met:

No package 'poppler' found

Consider adjusting the PKG_CONFIG_PATH environment variable if you
installed software in a non-standard prefix.

Alternatively, you may set the environment variables poppler_CFLAGS
and poppler_LIBS to avoid the need to call pkg-config.
See the pkg-config man page for more details.
===========================
     Build failed.  ;o(    
===========================
Note: maybe try the '-d' option.

[vedang]

okay, can you please try on the latest commit? I've pushed a potential fix for this issue.

[eli-tziperman]

Thanks! Is that on elpa/melpa already? My issue was with 20260101.947, I don't see a newer version yet. Looking forward to trying that.

[martin3141]

complains about gpgmepp now...

---------------------------
    Installing packages    
---------------------------
brew install pkg-config poppler autoconf automake
Warning: pkgconf 2.5.1 is already installed and up-to-date.
To reinstall 2.5.1, run:
  brew reinstall pkgconf
Warning: poppler 25.12.0 is already installed and up-to-date.
To reinstall 25.12.0, run:
  brew reinstall poppler
Warning: autoconf 2.72 is already installed and up-to-date.
To reinstall 2.72, run:
  brew reinstall autoconf
Warning: automake 1.18.1 is already installed and up-to-date.
To reinstall 1.18.1, run:
  brew reinstall automake

---------------------------
 Configuring and compiling 
---------------------------
./configure -q  && make clean && make -s
configure: error: Package requirements (poppler) were not met:

Package 'gpgmepp', required by 'poppler', not found

Consider adjusting the PKG_CONFIG_PATH environment variable if you
installed software in a non-standard prefix.

Alternatively, you may set the environment variables poppler_CFLAGS
and poppler_LIBS to avoid the need to call pkg-config.
See the pkg-config man page for more details.
===========================
     Build failed.  ;o(    
===========================
Note: maybe try the '-d' option.

[martin3141]

@vedang I added some extra libraries to PKG_CONFIG_PATH following your recent commit

export PKG_CONFIG_PATH="${PKG_CONFIG_PATH}:$(brew --prefix poppler)/lib/pkgconfig/:$(brew --prefix libffi)/lib/pkgconfig/:$(brew --prefix zlib)/lib/pkgconfig/:$(brew --prefix glib)/lib/pkgconfig/:$(brew --prefix pcre2)/lib/pkgconfig/:$(brew --prefix gpgmepp)/lib/pkgconfig/:$(brew --prefix libgpg-error)/lib/pkgconfig/:$(brew --prefix gpgme)/lib/pkgconfig/:$(brew --prefix libassuan)/lib/pkgconfig/"

New error is:

Package 'poppler' requires 'nss >= 3.118.1' but version of nss is 3.100.0

however brew upgrade nss shows I have version 3.119.1 installed

[vedang]

@martin3141 : it's likely to be a setup / path issue. I'm not sure how to go head with this, will wait on inputs from others.

Re-opening this issue for now.

[eli-tziperman]

Here is the current error message I am getting in case it's helpful, I am happy to run any tests...

~/.emacs.d/elpa/pdf-tools-20260102.1101/build/server $ /Users/XX/.emacs.d/elpa/pdf-tools-20260102.1101/build/server/autobuild -d -i /Users/XX/.emacs.d/elpa/pdf-tools-20260102.1101/

Installing packages

---

brew install pkg-config poppler autoconf automake Warning: pkgconf 2.5.1 is already installed and up-to-date. To reinstall 2.5.1, run: brew reinstall pkgconf Warning: poppler 25.12.0 is already installed and up-to-date. To reinstall 25.12.0, run: brew reinstall poppler Warning: autoconf 2.72 is already installed and up-to-date. To reinstall 2.72, run: brew reinstall autoconf Warning: automake 1.18.1 is already installed and up-to-date. To reinstall 1.18.1, run: brew reinstall automake

---

Configuring and compiling

./configure -q --bindir=/Users/XX/.emacs.d/elpa/pdf-tools-20260102.1101/ && make clean && make -s configure: error: Package requirements (poppler) were not met:

Package 'gpgmepp', required by 'poppler', not found

Consider adjusting the PKG_CONFIG_PATH environment variable if you installed software in a non-standard prefix.

Alternatively, you may set the environment variables poppler_CFLAGS and poppler_LIBS to avoid the need to call pkg-config. See the pkg-config man page for more details.

 Build failed.  ;o(

===========================

$ brew install gpgmepp Warning: gpgmepp 2.0.0 is already installed and up-to-date.