Script to Statically Compile Poppler-Glib

install-poppler.sh

#!/bin/bash -eux

# This script builds a static version of poppler and its dependencies.
# The script is based on the instructions and examples provided in the article:
# https://fasterthanli.me/series/dont-shell-out/part-3

# Get the absolute path of the script.
SCRIPT_PATH=$(readlink -f "$0")

# Get the directory where the script is located.
SCRIPT_DIR=$(dirname "$SCRIPT_PATH")

# Set the installation directory for the static libraries and headers.
export PREFIX="${SCRIPT_DIR}/prefix"
mkdir -p "${PREFIX}"

# Set the PKG_CONFIG_PATH to use the libraries we build.
export PKG_CONFIG_PATH="${PREFIX}/lib/pkgconfig:${PREFIX}/lib64/pkgconfig"

# Set compiler flags for building position-independent code (PIC).
export CFLAGS="-fPIC"
export CXXFLAGS="-fPIC"

# Function to check if a library is already installed in our PREFIX
is_installed() {
    local pkgname=$1
    local libfile=$2  # Optional: specific library file to check

    # Only check for the library file in our PREFIX directory
    # Don't use pkg-config as it might find system libraries
    if [[ -n "${libfile:-}" && -f "$PREFIX/lib/$libfile" ]]; then
        echo ">>> $pkgname already installed (found $libfile in $PREFIX). Skipping."
        return 0
    fi

    # Fallback: check if pkg-config finds it specifically in our PREFIX
    local pc_file="$PREFIX/lib/pkgconfig/$pkgname.pc"
    if [[ -f "$pc_file" ]]; then
        echo ">>> $pkgname already installed (found $pc_file). Skipping."
        return 0
    fi

    return 1
}

# Function to download and extract a tarball.
download_and_extract() {
    local url=$1
    local dir=$2
    local strip_components=${3:-1}
    local tar_flags

    # Check if sources already exist
    if [[ -d "sources/${dir}" ]]; then
        echo ">>> Sources for ${dir} already exist. Skipping download."
        return
    fi

    # Determine the tar flags based on file extension
    case "$url" in
        *.tar.xz)
            tar_flags="-xJ"
            ;;
        *.tar.gz)
            tar_flags="-xz"
            ;;
        *)
            echo "Unsupported archive format for URL: $url"
            exit 1
            ;;
    esac

    echo ">>> Downloading and extracting $dir"
    mkdir -p "sources/${dir}"
    curl -f -L "${url}" | tar "${tar_flags}" --strip-components="${strip_components}" -C "sources/${dir}"
}

# Function to build with configure (autotools)
build_autotools() {
    local name=$1
    local source_dir=$2
    local build_dir=$3
    shift 3
    # remaining args are passed to configure

    echo ">>> Building $name with autotools"
    rm -rf "builds/$build_dir"
    mkdir -p "builds/$build_dir"
    pushd "builds/$build_dir"
    "../../sources/$source_dir/configure" --prefix="${PREFIX}" --disable-shared --enable-static "$@"
    make -j "$(nproc)"
    make install
    popd
}

# Function to build with cmake
build_cmake() {
    local name=$1
    local source_dir=$2
    local build_dir=$3
    shift 3
    # remaining args are passed to cmake

    echo ">>> Building $name with cmake"
    rm -rf "builds/$build_dir"
    mkdir -p "builds/$build_dir"
    pushd "builds/$build_dir"
    cmake -S "../../sources/$source_dir" -B . \
          -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX="${PREFIX}" \
          -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF \
          -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
          "$@"
    cmake --build . --parallel "$(nproc)"
    cmake --install .
    popd
}

# Function to build with meson
build_meson() {
    local name=$1
    local source_dir=$2
    local build_dir=$3
    shift 3
    # remaining args are passed to meson

    echo ">>> Building $name with meson"
    rm -rf "builds/$build_dir"
    mkdir -p "builds/$build_dir"
    pushd "builds/$build_dir"
    meson setup . "../../sources/$source_dir" \
          --prefix="${PREFIX}" \
          --buildtype=release \
          --default-library=static \
          --prefer-static \
          "$@"
    ninja -v
    ninja install
    popd
}


# --- Dependencies ---

# zlib
if ! is_installed "zlib" "libz.a"; then
    download_and_extract "https://www.zlib.net/zlib-1.3.1.tar.xz" "zlib"
    echo ">>> Building zlib"
    rm -rf builds/zlib
    mkdir -p builds/zlib
    pushd builds/zlib
    ../../sources/zlib/configure --prefix="${PREFIX}" --static
    make -j "$(nproc)"
    make install
    popd
fi

# libpng
if ! is_installed "libpng" "libpng.a"; then
    download_and_extract "https://download.sourceforge.net/libpng/libpng-1.6.40.tar.xz" "libpng"
    build_autotools "libpng" "libpng" "libpng"
fi

# freetype
if ! is_installed "freetype2" "libfreetype.a"; then
    download_and_extract "https://download.savannah.gnu.org/releases/freetype/freetype-2.13.2.tar.xz" "freetype"
    build_autotools "freetype" "freetype" "freetype" \
        --with-png=no --with-zlib=yes --with-harfbuzz=no --with-bzip2=no --with-brotli=no
fi

# fontconfig
if ! is_installed "fontconfig" "libfontconfig.a"; then
    download_and_extract "https://www.freedesktop.org/software/fontconfig/release/fontconfig-2.15.0.tar.xz" "fontconfig"
    build_autotools "fontconfig" "fontconfig" "fontconfig" --disable-docs
fi

# pixman
if ! is_installed "pixman-1" "libpixman-1.a"; then
    download_and_extract "https://www.cairographics.org/releases/pixman-0.43.4.tar.gz" "pixman"
    build_meson "pixman" "pixman" "pixman" -Dtests=disabled -Dgtk=disabled
fi

# First, clean up the existing cairo build
echo ">>> Cleaning existing cairo build"
# rm -rf builds/cairo
# rm -f "${PREFIX}/lib/libcairo.a"
# rm -f "${PREFIX}/lib/pkgconfig/cairo.pc"
# rm -rf "${PREFIX}/include/cairo"
# exit 0

if ! is_installed "cairo" "libcairo.a"; then
    download_and_extract "https://www.cairographics.org/releases/cairo-1.18.4.tar.xz" "cairo"
    
    echo ">>> Building cairo with static pixman linking"
    rm -rf "builds/cairo"
    mkdir -p "builds/cairo"
    pushd "builds/cairo"
    
    # Set environment variables for static linking
    export PIXMAN_CFLAGS="$(pkg-config --cflags pixman-1)"
    export PIXMAN_LIBS="$(pkg-config --libs --static pixman-1)"
    export LDFLAGS="-L${PREFIX}/lib"
    export LIBS="-lpixman-1"
    
    meson setup . "../../sources/cairo" \
        --prefix="$PREFIX" \
        --buildtype=release \
        --default-library=static \
        --prefer-static \
        -Dglib=disabled \
        -Dfontconfig=enabled \
        -Dfreetype=enabled \
        -Dwerror=false \
        -Dtests=disabled
    
        ninja -v
        ninja install
        
        # Cleanup environment
        unset PIXMAN_CFLAGS PIXMAN_LIBS LDFLAGS LIBS
        popd
fi


# openjpeg
if ! is_installed "libopenjp2" "libopenjp2.a"; then
    download_and_extract "https://github.com/uclouvain/openjpeg/archive/v2.5.4.tar.gz" "openjpeg"
    build_cmake "openjpeg" "openjpeg" "openjpeg"
fi

# poppler-data
if [[ ! -d "$PREFIX/share/poppler" ]]; then
    download_and_extract "https://poppler.freedesktop.org/poppler-data-0.4.12.tar.gz" "poppler-data"
    echo ">>> Installing poppler-data (data files only)"
    pushd sources/poppler-data/poppler-data-0.4.12
    # First run make to generate poppler-data.pc
    make
    # Then install with our custom prefix
    make install datadir="${PREFIX}/share"
    popd
else
    echo ">>> poppler-data already installed. Skipping."
fi


# # glib (required for poppler-glib)
#  Add before poppler build - minimal gobject-2.0 for core C API
if ! is_installed "gobject-2.0" "libgobject-2.0.a"; then
    # We need minimal glib just for GObject, not the full glib ecosystem
    download_and_extract "https://download.gnome.org/sources/glib/2.78/glib-2.78.1.tar.xz" "glib"
    
    build_meson "glib (minimal)" "glib" "glib" \
        -Dtests=false \
        -Dgtk_doc=false \
        -Dman=false \
        -Dnls=disabled \
        -Dlibmount=disabled \
        -Dselinux=disabled
fi

# --- Poppler ---

# Build poppler with core C API enabled
if ! is_installed "poppler" "libpoppler.a"; then
    download_and_extract "https://poppler.freedesktop.org/poppler-25.09.1.tar.xz" "poppler"

    build_cmake "poppler" "poppler" "poppler" \
        -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=${PREFIX} \
        -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
        -DCMAKE_POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE=True \
        -DBUILD_GTK_TESTS=OFF \
        -DBUILD_QT5_TESTS=OFF \
        -DBUILD_QT6_TESTS=OFF \
        -DBUILD_CPP_TESTS=OFF \
        -DBUILD_MANUAL_TESTS=OFF \
        -DENABLE_BOOST=OFF \
        -DENABLE_UTILS=OFF \
        -DENABLE_CPP=OFF \
        -DENABLE_GLIB=ON \
        -DENABLE_GOBJECT_INTROSPECTION=OFF \
        -DENABLE_GTK_DOC=OFF \
        -DENABLE_QT5=OFF \
        -DENABLE_QT6=OFF \
        -DENABLE_LIBOPENJPEG=none \
        -DENABLE_CMS=none \
        -DENABLE_DCTDECODER=none \
        -DENABLE_LIBCURL=OFF \
        -DENABLE_ZLIB=OFF \
        -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF \
        -DRUN_GPERF_IF_PRESENT=OFF
fi

echo "Poppler static build complete."
echo "Libraries and headers are in the '${PREFIX}' directory."
echo
echo "To use in your projects:"
echo "  export PKG_CONFIG_PATH=\"${PREFIX}/lib/pkgconfig:${PREFIX}/lib64/pkgconfig\""
echo "  pkg-config --cflags --libs poppler"