Check for missing dependencies

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 95 views

Problem description

While building the ffmpeg package, you may encounter a weird error. This error can be frustrating, especially when you're trying to build a package that's essential for your development workflow. In this article, we'll explore the possible causes of this error and provide a step-by-step guide to resolve it.

Understanding the error

The error message you're seeing is likely due to a mismatch between the binary format of the tools used during the build process and the architecture of your device. Specifically, the error message indicates that the rm, sed, cat, and sort commands are not executable.

*** full path to sdl-config. configure: WARNING: *** Unable to find SDL -- Not compiling example players *** /home/builder/.termux-build/libtheora/src/configure: line 13310: /data/data/com.codewiz.androdl/files/usr/bin/rm: cannot execute binary file: Exec format error /home/builder/.termux-build/libtheora/src/configure: line 13319: /data/data/com.codewiz.androdl/files/usr/bin/sed: cannot execute binary file: Exec format error /home/builder/.termux-build/libtheora/src/configure: line 13320: ${+set}: bad substitution /home/builder/.termux-build/libtheora/src/configure: line 6: /data/data/com.codewiz.androdl/files/usr/bin/cat: cannot execute binary file: Exec format error /home/builder/.termux-build/libtheora/src/configure: line 14: /data/data/com.codewiz.androdl/files/usr/bin/sed: cannot execute binary file: Exec format error /home/builder/.termux-build/libtheora/src/configure: line 40: /data/data/com.codewiz.androdl/files/usr/bin/sort: cannot execute binary file: Exec format error /home/builder/.termux-build/libtheora/src/configure: line 37: /data/data/com.codewiz.androdl/files/usr/bin/sed: cannot execute binary file: Exec format error /home/builder/.termux-build/libtheora/src/configure: line 44: /data/data/com.codewiz.androdl/files/usr/bin/cat: cannot execute binary file: Exec format error /home/builder/.termux-build/libtheora/src/configure: line 57: /data/data/com.codewiz.androdl/files/usr/bin/sort: cannot execute binary file: Exec format error /home/builder/.termux-build/libtheora/src/configure: line 79: /data/data/com.codewiz.androdl/files/usr/bin/cat: cannot execute binary file: Exec format error /home/builder/.termux-build/libtheora/src/configure: line 85: /data/data/com.codewiz.androdl/files/usr/bin/cat: cannot execute binary file: Exec format error /home/builder/.termux-build/libtheora/src/configure: line 92: /data/data/com.codewiz.androdl/files/usr/bin/rm: cannot execute binary file: Exec format error [*] Building 'libtheora' exited with exit code 1 Failed to build package 'libtheora' for arch 'aarch64'

What steps will reproduce the bug?

To reproduce the bug, follow these steps:

Install the coreutils package using the apt package manager.
Build the libtheora package using the configure script.
Observe the error message indicating that the rm, sed, cat, and sort commands are not executable.

What is the expected behavior?

The expected behavior is that the ffmpeg package should build successfully and the binary should work as expected.

System information

Termux Variables:
TERMUX_APK_RELEASE=GITHUB
TERMUX_APP_PACKAGE_MANAGER=apt
TERMUX_APP_PID=29189
TERMUX_IS_DEBUGGABLE_BUILD=1
TERMUX_MAIN_PACKAGE_FORMAT=debian
TERMUX_VERSION=0.118.1
TERMUX__USER_ID=0
Packages CPU architecture:
aarch64
Subscribed repositories:
# sources.list
deb https://mirror.quantum5.ca/termux/termux-main stable main
Updatable packages:
abseil-cpp/stable 20250127.0-1 aarch64 [upgradable from: 20250127.0]
command-not-found/stable 2.4.0-66 aarch64 [upgradable from: 2.4.0-65]
ffmpeg/stable 7.1.1 aarch64 [upgradable from: 7.1-4]
glib/stable 2.84.0-1 aarch64 [upgradable from: 2.82.5]
libflac/stable 1.5.0 aarch64 [upgradable from: 1.4.3]
svt-av1/stable 3.0.0 aarch64 [upgradable from: 2.3.0]
termux-tools version:
1.44.6
Android version:
13
Kernel build information:
Linux localhost 4.19.157-perf-ga763929f5bb9 #1 SMP PREEMPT Wed Aug 28 11:05:06 UTC 2024 aarch64 Android
Device manufacturer:
Xiaomi
Device model:
220333QBI
LD Variables:
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=
LD_PRELOAD=/data/data/com.termux/files/usr/lib/libtermux-exec.so

Possible causes

The possible causes of this error are:

Binary format mismatch: The binary format of the tools used during the build process may not match the architecture of your device.
Missing dependencies: The libtheora package may be missing dependencies required for the build process.
Configuration issues: The configure script may be configured incorrectly, leading to the error.

Resolving the issue

To resolve the issue, follow these steps:

Update the coreutils package: Update the coreutils package to the latest version using the apt package manager.
Rebuild the libtheora package: Rebuild the libtheora package using the configure script.
Check for missing dependencies: Check if the libtheora package is missing any dependencies required for the build process.
Reconfigure the configure script: Reconfigure the configure script to ensure that it is configured correctly.

Conclusion

Q: What is the cause of the error "cannot execute binary file: Exec format error"?

A: The error "cannot execute binary file: Exec format error" is caused by a mismatch between the binary format of the tools used during the build process and the architecture of your device.

Q: How can I resolve the issue of missing dependencies in the `libtheora` package?

A: To resolve the issue of missing dependencies in the libtheora package, you can try the following:

Update the libtheora package: Update the libtheora package to the latest version using the apt package manager.
Check the package dependencies: Check the package dependencies required for the build process and ensure that they are installed.
Install missing dependencies: Install any missing dependencies required for the build process.

Q: What is the purpose of the `configure` script in the build process?

A: The configure script is used to configure the build process for the libtheora package. It checks for the presence of required dependencies and sets up the build environment.

Q: How can I reconfigure the `configure` script to resolve the issue?

A: To reconfigure the configure script, you can try the following:

Run the configure script with the --help option: Run the configure script with the --help option to see the available configuration options.
Specify the required dependencies: Specify the required dependencies using the --with- option.
Rebuild the libtheora package: Rebuild the libtheora package using the reconfigured configure script.

Q: What is the purpose of the `LD_LIBRARY_PATH` and `LD_PRELOAD` environment variables?

A: The LD_LIBRARY_PATH and LD_PRELOAD environment variables are used to specify the library search path and the preload libraries for the build process.

Q: How can I set the `LD_LIBRARY_PATH` and `LD_PRELOAD` environment variables?

A: To set the LD_LIBRARY_PATH and LD_PRELOAD environment variables, you can try the following:

Set the LD_LIBRARY_PATH variable: Set the LD_LIBRARY_PATH variable to the path of the required libraries.
Set the LD_PRELOAD variable: Set the LD_PRELOAD variable to the path of the required preload libraries.
Rebuild the libtheora package: Rebuild the libtheora package using the updated environment variables.

Q: What is the purpose of the `TERMUX_APK_RELEASE` and `TERMUX_APP_PACKAGE_MANAGER` environment variables?

A: The TERMUX_APK_RELEASE and TERMUX_APP_PACKAGE_MANAGER environment variables are used to specify the APK release and the package manager for the build process.

Q: How can I set the `TERMUX_APK_RELEASE` and `TERMUX_APP_PACKAGE_MANAGER` environment variables?

A: To set the TERMUX_APK_RELEASE and TERMUX_APP_PACKAGE_MANAGER environment variables, you can try the following:

Set the TERMUX_APK_RELEASE variable: Set the TERMUX_APK_RELEASE variable to the desired APK release.
Set the TERMUX_APP_PACKAGE_MANAGER variable: Set the TERMUX_APP_PACKAGE_MANAGER variable to the desired package manager.
Rebuild the libtheora package: Rebuild the libtheora package using the updated environment variables.

Q: What is the purpose of the `TERMUX_VERSION` and `TERMUX__USER_ID` environment variables?

A: The TERMUX_VERSION and TERMUX__USER_ID environment variables are used to specify the Termux version and the user ID for the build process.

Q: How can I set the `TERMUX_VERSION` and `TERMUX__USER_ID` environment variables?

A: To set the TERMUX_VERSION and TERMUX__USER_ID environment variables, you can try the following:

Set the TERMUX_VERSION variable: Set the TERMUX_VERSION variable to the desired Termux version.
Set the TERMUX__USER_ID variable: Set the TERMUX__USER_ID variable to the desired user ID.
Rebuild the libtheora package: Rebuild the libtheora package using the updated environment variables.

Q: What is the purpose of the `LD_LIBRARY_PATH` and `LD_PRELOAD` environment variables in the `termux-tools` package?

A: The LD_LIBRARY_PATH and LD_PRELOAD environment variables in the termux-tools package are used to specify the library search path and the preload libraries for the build process.

Q: How can I set the `LD_LIBRARY_PATH` and `LD_PRELOAD` environment variables in the `termux-tools` package?

A: To set the LD_LIBRARY_PATH and LD_PRELOAD environment variables in the termux-tools package, you can try the following:

Set the LD_LIBRARY_PATH variable: Set the LD_LIBRARY_PATH variable to the path of the required libraries.
Set the LD_PRELOAD variable: Set the LD_PRELOAD variable to the path of the required preload libraries.
Rebuild the libtheora package: Rebuild the libtheora package using the updated environment variables.

Q: What is the purpose of the `TERMUX_APK_RELEASE` and `TERMUX_APP_PACKAGE_MANAGER` environment variables in the `termux-tools` package?

A: The TERMUX_APK_RELEASE and TERMUX_APP_PACKAGE_MANAGER environment variables in the termux-tools package are used to specify the APK release and the package manager for the build process.

Q: How can I set the `TERMUX_APK_RELEASE` and `TERMUX_APP_PACKAGE_MANAGER` environment variables in the `termux-tools` package?

A: To set the TERMUX_APK_RELEASE and TERMUX_APP_PACKAGE_MANAGER environment variables in the termux-tools package, you can try the following:

Set the TERMUX_APK_RELEASE variable: Set the TERMUX_APK_RELEASE variable to the desired APK release.
Set the TERMUX_APP_PACKAGE_MANAGER variable: Set the TERMUX_APP_PACKAGE_MANAGER variable to the desired package manager.
Rebuild the libtheora package: Rebuild the libtheora package using the updated environment variables.

Q: What is the purpose of the `TERMUX_VERSION` and `TERMUX__USER_ID` environment variables in the `termux-tools` package?

A: The TERMUX_VERSION and TERMUX__USER_ID environment variables in the termux-tools package are used to specify the Termux version and the user ID for the build process.

Q: How can I set the `TERMUX_VERSION` and `TERMUX__USER_ID` environment variables in the `termux-tools` package?

A: To set the TERMUX_VERSION and TERMUX__USER_ID environment variables in the termux-tools package, you can try the following:

Set the TERMUX_VERSION variable: Set the TERMUX_VERSION variable to the desired Termux version.
Set the TERMUX__USER_ID variable: Set the TERMUX__USER_ID variable to the desired user ID.
Rebuild the libtheora package: Rebuild the libtheora package using the updated environment variables.