/usr/lib/libX11.a: could not read symbols: Malformed archive

It's libx11-dev package

I downgraded packages libx11-6 and libx11-dev from version 2:1.1.1-1ubuntu1 to version 1.0.3-4ubuntu1 and LIRC compiled successfully...

Please, compile again libx11-dev, /usr/lib/libX11.a archive is damaged

It's not to insist too much, but I've just had the same problem when compiling gaim from SVN:

        then mv -f ".deps/gntgf_la-gntgf.Tpo" ".deps/gntgf_la-gntgf.Plo"; else rm -f ".deps/gntgf_la-gntgf.Tpo"; exit 1; fi
/bin/bash ../../libtool --silent --tag=CC --mode=link gcc -g -g -O2 -o gntgf.la -rpath /usr/local/lib/gaim -module -avoid-version gntgf_la-gntgf.lo -Wl,--export-dynamic -pthread -lgobject-2.0 -lgmodule-2.0 -ldl -lgthread-2.0 -lrt -lglib-2.0 -L/usr/local/lib -lX11 ../../console/libgnt/libgnt.la -lnsl -lresolv
/usr/lib/gcc/i486-linux-gnu/4.1.2/../../../../lib/libX11.a: could not read symbols: Malformed archive

That's with version 2:1.1.1-1ubuntu1. With 1.0.3-4ubuntu1 no problem.

I post this comment to clarify that this is not a bug with LIRC, but with the packages libx11-6 and libx11-dev.

Could you try building that package yourself (and install it) to see the fault really is in the current build and not in upstream code..

Sorry, I shouldn't have pointed that it's a problem with the compilation of the package before I tried to compile it myself.

I'm not a guru of this, it's just an option I thinked of. I'll try to compile it and post the results...

I compiled this source package http://librarian.launchpad.net/6496868/libx11_1.1.1.orig.tar.gz with:
./configure
make
sudo make install

And the problem is still there... so that means the problem is upstream?
What's the solution then? Feisty cannot be lauched with that package because anybody will be able to compile anything that uses GTK.

We can always downgrade to the previous (working) version..

err, there are a number of updates made since that version of libx11 hit the archive, so it doesn't seem to affect too many packages...

Anyway, I'll tell upstream about this.

I just built lirc_0.8.0-9ubuntu2 successfully in an uptodate Feisty pbuilder... This has to be a local issue on your computer.. try reinstalling libx11 if that helps.

In my computer, fails compiling all the apps I've tried to compile, including: lirc, gaim, mplayer, and audacious.

I've also reinstalled libx11-6, libx11-dev, and libx11-data. Same results... I compiled libx11 source code, with same result too.

Please, try to compile this version of Lirc, this is the one that fails here:
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/lirc/lirc-0.8.1.tar.bz2

Also, please, post the size and date of your libX11.a to see if it's the same as here. Mine is:
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 19764048 2007-02-22 12:06 /usr/lib/libX11.a

I have a doubt.. if it's a local problem... how can it be? I just dist-upgraded from Edgy without problems, I didn't do anything strange..

#luthien 15:38 ~ 2 # ls -l /usr/lib/libX11.a
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 19764048 Feb 22 13:06 /usr/lib/libX11.a
#luthien 15:38 ~ 3 # md5sum /usr/lib/libX11.a
04ad7e182fb52e88d8ed6b8970786d7d /usr/lib/libX11.a

there is probably something else in your system that is causing your problems.

$ md5sum /usr/lib/libX11.a
25448f9cbb2d6b730e6cae632ecf8f78 /usr/lib/libX11.a

# apt-cache policy libx11-dev
libx11-dev:
  Instalados: 2:1.1.1-1ubuntu1
  Candidato: 2:1.1.1-1ubuntu1
  Tabla de versión:
 *** 2:1.1.1-1ubuntu1 0
        500 http://es.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/main Packages
        500 http://archive.ubuntu.com feisty/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

# rm /usr/lib/libX11.a
#ls -l /usr/lib/libX11.a
ls: /usr/lib/libX11.a: No existe el fichero ó directorio
# aptitude reinstall libx11-dev

$ md5sum /usr/lib/libX11.a
25448f9cbb2d6b730e6cae632ecf8f78 /usr/lib/libX11.a

Mmmmm... seems that it's not exactly the same archive :|
And reinstalling doesn't install an archive with your md5sum.
This is SO strange... : /

you probably have it cached in /var/cache/apt/archives.. you can clean it by running 'apt-get clean' and try reinstalling again

# rm /var/cache/apt/archives/libx11-*
# aptitude reinstall libx11-dev
$ md5sum /usr/lib/libX11.a
04ad7e182fb52e88d8ed6b8970786d7d /usr/lib/libX11.a

And now it works well!!!!
I feel ashamed to have filed this bug before I tried to do that, and to have wasted your time... it won't happen again :)

Thanks a lot for your time!!!
Regards