v1.3.7 crashes on require because of file name difference in 32bit and 64bit windows gtk+ bundles

[mauritslamers]

After compiling v1.3.7 on 32bit windows using the suggested package (http://ftp.gnome.org/pub/GNOME/binaries/win32/gtk+/2.24/gtk+-bundle_2.24.10-20120208_win32.zip),
require()-ing the build product results in a Cannot set property 'parseFont' of undefined error.

During compilation a warning is displayed, complaining about a missing libfreetype-6.dll. It turns out that the filename of the freetype library in the 32bit gtk+ bundles the library is freetype6.dll, whereas in the 64bit bundles it is called libfreetype-6.dll.

[LinusU]

@zbjornson You are running on windows, right? Are you running 32- or 64bit?

[zbjornson]

I'm running Win x64, GTK 2.22.1, which has libfreetype-6.dll.

Looks like someone hit this here also: #480

See also:
https://mail.gnome.org/archives/dia-list/2007-April/msg00040.html

[zbjornson]

replying to #1221 (comment)

@blueboomer76 I don't have a 32-bit Windows machine to test this with, and I think I was mistaken in #1192 to say you can rename it. Did you try copying libfreetype6.dll from C:\GTK to C:\Users\Q2\Desktop\kendraBot\node_modules\canvas\build\Release\? In any case, I'd recommend trying canvas-prebuilt or canvas@next (2.x), which use prebuilds and avoid this issue.

[Multiconcepted]

@zbjornson

Did you try copying libfreetype6.dll from C:\GTK to C:\Users\Q2\Desktop\kendraBot\node_modules\canvas\build\Release\?

It is automatically copied when I run npm install canvas after renaming the file.

In any case, I'd recommend trying canvas-prebuilt or canvas@next (2.x), which use prebuilds and avoid this issue.

npm install canvas-prebuilt is giving me this error:

Error: 404 status code downloading tarball https://github.com/chearon/node-canvas-prebuilt/releases/download/v1.6.11/canvas-prebuilt-v1.6.11-node-v57-win32-ia32.tar.gz

canvas@next installed with a warning that C:\GTK\bin\libintl-8.dll is missing and I am still getting the same error with module.js (line 681).

[zbjornson]

I was mistaken to say you can rename it, sorry. Try renaming it back to what it was, then manually copying it.

[Multiconcepted]

The error for a missing input file for the libfreetype-6.dll file has returned after I reverted the name. Here is some of the output:

PS C:\Users\Q2\Desktop\kendraBot> npm i canvas@next

> canvas@2.0.0-alpha.14 install C:\Users\Q2\Desktop\kendraBot\node_modules\canvas
> node-pre-gyp install --fallback-to-build

node-pre-gyp ERR! Tried to download(404): https://github.com/node-gfx/node-canvas-prebuilt/releases/download/v2.0.0-alpha.14/canvas-prebuilt-v2.0.0-alpha.14-node-v57-win32-unknown-ia32.tar.gz
node-pre-gyp ERR! Pre-built binaries not found for canvas@2.0.0-alpha.14 and node@8.11.1 (node-v57 ABI, unknown) (falling back to source compile with node-gyp)
Warning: Missing input files:
C:\GTK\bin\libfreetype-6.dll
C:\GTK\bin\libintl-8.dll

And when the files are attempted to be copied:

  Copying C:/GTK/bin/libintl-8.dll to C:\Users\Q2\Desktop\kendraBot\node_modules\canvas\build\Release\\libintl-8.dll
  The system cannot find the file specified.
  Copying C:/GTK/bin/libfreetype-6.dll to C:\Users\Q2\Desktop\kendraBot\node_modules\canvas\build\Release\\libfreetype-
  6.dll
  The system cannot find the file specified.

Maybe the canvas package is not being updated quickly enough to support my computer.

[swoodman]

@blueboomer76 I had a similar issue and it appears that a prebuilt version of 2.0.0.alpha.14 isn't available yet causing the rebuild. If you can live without the fixes in the latest bits then forcing my package.json to use alpha.13 for now seemed to allow the install to function for the time being.

[zbjornson]

@blueboomer76 That error is expected, but as long as node-gyp/npm don't clean up the failed install, you can still move the file manually after that. If they do clean up the failed install, try editing this line in binding.gyp to remove the - before installing: https://github.com/Automattic/node-canvas/blob/master/binding.gyp#L47. (You'll have to actually clone the git repository to do this, but you could push the change to your own fork and then use npm install blueboomer76/node-canvas, or npm link to use your local checkout.)

I was also wrong about there being prebuilds for 32-bit Windows: https://github.com/node-gfx/node-canvas-prebuilt#binaries.

Maybe the canvas package is not being updated quickly enough to support my computer.

(32-bit OSes are not popular anymore actually. From the Steam hardware survey, 32-bit Windows make up about 2% of current Windows installs, although that's biased toward newer/gaming PCs. That's why it isn't a smooth process installing on 32-bit Windows -- sorry about that.)