rules_cc runfiles library does not provide BAZEL_CURRENT_REPOSITORY

[flurie]

Description of the problem / feature request:

The runfiles library has been deprecated in bazel-tools and now points to the library in rules_cc, but the instructions ported over refer to BAZEL_CURRENT_REPOSITORY, which is not present in the rules_cc runfiles library.

Bugs: what's the simplest, easiest way to reproduce this bug? Please provide a minimal example if possible.

I made a branch off something I was working on. You should be able to run touch data/inputs/01.txt && bazel build //src/day/01 using //https://github.com/flurie/aoc-2024/tree/demo-rules-cc-runfiles if you install the prereqs (nix and devenv) and it should work on macOS and Linux.

What operating system are you running Bazel on?

macOS 14.5

What's the output of bazel info release?

release 7.4.1- (@non-git)

If bazel info release returns "development version" or "(@non-git)", tell us how you built Bazel.

It is built from nixpkgs 24.11.

What version of rules_cc do you use? Can you paste the workspace rule used to fetch rules_cc? What other relevant dependencies does your project have?

http_archive(
    name = "rules_cc",
    urls = ["https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_cc/releases/download/0.0.17/rules_cc-0.0.17.tar.gz"],
    sha256 = "abc605dd850f813bb37004b77db20106a19311a96b2da1c92b789da529d28fe1",
    strip_prefix = "rules_cc-0.0.17",
)

What Bazel options do you use to trigger the issue? What C++ toolchain do you use?

.bazelrc:

build --host_platform=@rules_nixpkgs_core//platforms:host
build --crosstool_top=@nixpkgs_config_cc//:toolchain

for completeness, the output when the repro command is run with --announce_rc:

INFO: Reading 'startup' options from /nix/store/zsyc077bgm4g3xq3h0a2qfzw4g4jzjfi-bazel-rc: --server_javabase=/nix/store/dd8l9acgfnax38j7wvz0lh96c2vkxyg3-zulu-ca-jdk-21.0.4
INFO: Options provided by the client:
  Inherited 'common' options: --isatty=1 --terminal_columns=104
INFO: Reading rc options for 'run' from /nix/store/zsyc077bgm4g3xq3h0a2qfzw4g4jzjfi-bazel-rc:
  Inherited 'build' options: --extra_toolchains=@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:all --tool_java_runtime_version=local_jdk --java_runtime_version=local_jdk
INFO: Reading rc options for 'run' from /Users/flurie/Repos/github.com/flurie/aoc-2024/.bazelrc:
  Inherited 'build' options: --host_platform=@rules_nixpkgs_core//platforms:host --crosstool_top=@nixpkgs_config_cc//:toolchain

toolchain:

nixpkgs_git_repository(
    name = "nixpkgs",
    revision = "release-24.11",
)

nixpkgs_cc_configure(
    name = "nixpkgs_config_cc",
    repository = "@nixpkgs",
)

Have you found anything relevant by searching the web?

No

Any other information, logs, or outputs that you want to share?

No

[flurie]

After some additional digging, I see what is going on here.

the cc_* rules all end up calling the native rules under the hood, but the native rules in 7.4.1 and even 8.0.0rcs don't recognize the new runfiles library label, only master does. So that check likely needs to move over to rules_cc.

[jwnimmer-tri]

FYI my current work-around is to add a redundant entry in deps just so that bazel adds the correct definition:

    deps = [
        "@rules_cc//cc/runfiles",
        # The next line is a hack to get BAZEL_CURRENT_REPOSITORY working.
        "@bazel_tools//tools/cpp/runfiles",
    ],

[keith]

looks like this is still being fixed in bazel itself, not rules_cc, and looks like it'll be in 8.1.0 bazelbuild/bazel#24465

[fmeum]

@jwnimmer-tri's workaround or just using @bazel_tools//tools/cpp/runfiles for now is recommended until 8.1.0 lands. @bazel_tools//tools/cpp/runfiles will keep working, so there is no rush to migrate.