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MacOS linking error (M4, ARM) #69
Description
While trying to run portable-python build 3.9.7 on an m4 mac I encountered the linking error down below.
I installed portable python using pip3.9 install portable-python using python 3.9.25 installed by homebrew
Undefined symbols for architecture arm64:
"_libintl_bindtextdomain", referenced from:
_PyIntl_bindtextdomain in lto.o
_PyIntl_bindtextdomain in lto.o
"_libintl_dcgettext", referenced from:
_PyIntl_dcgettext in lto.o
"_libintl_dgettext", referenced from:
_PyIntl_dgettext in lto.o
"_libintl_gettext", referenced from:
_PyIntl_gettext in lto.o
"_libintl_setlocale", referenced from:
_PyLocale_setlocale in lto.o
_PyLocale_setlocale in lto.o
_PyLocale_localeconv in lto.o
_PyLocale_localeconv in lto.o
_PyLocale_localeconv in lto.o
_PyLocale_localeconv in lto.o
"_libintl_textdomain", referenced from:
_PyIntl_textdomain in lto.o
ld: symbol(s) not found for architecture arm64
clang: error: linker command failed with exit code 1 (use -v to see invocation)
make[3]: *** [python.exe] Error 1
make[2]: *** [build_all_generate_profile] Error 2
make[1]: *** [profile-gen-stamp] Error 2
make: *** [profile-run-stamp] Error 2
ERROR make exited with code 2
Activity
[-]MacOS linking error[/-][+]MacOS linking error (M4, ARM)[/+]zsimic commentedon Jan 20, 2026
Don't use brew installed pythons, as those are usually linked to other brew installed libs (like openssl etc). The purpose of portable-python is to build standalone python binaries, that do not link (and assume) the presence of other dynamic libs. Try building
portable-pythonwith system python instead, something like: