Bugzilla Bug 218854

Currently portage 2.1.5_rc6 wants to rebuild xulrunner-1.8 which shouldn't be
required:

"xulrunner" gets pulled in by the command line arg, portage resolves it as 1.9
(highest version), and then in the same depgraph, gets in liferea, then it
decides whether to include liferea's deps in the depgraph, sees "xulrunner"
there (instead of xulrunner-1.9) and pulls in 1.8 too.

chi ~ # emerge -av liferea xulrunner
[ebuild   R   ] net-libs/xulrunner-1.8.1.14  USE="gnome ipv6 xinerama -debug
-java -xprint" 0 kB 
[ebuild     U ] net-libs/xulrunner-1.9_beta5-r1 [1.9_beta5] USE="dbus gnome
ipv6 -debug -java -startup-notification" 0 kB 
[ebuild     U ] net-news/liferea-1.4.15 [1.4.14] USE="dbus gnutls libnotify
networkmanager xulrunner* -debug -firefox* -gtkhtml -lua -seamonkey" 0 kB 

Now the debug output for the interested:

chi ~ # emerge --debug -av liferea xulrunner
myaction None
myopts {'--debug': True, '--ask': True, '--verbose': True}

These are the packages that would be merged, in order:

Calculating dependencies      ebuild: net-news/liferea-1.4.15
   ebuild: net-libs/xulrunner-1.9_beta5-r1

Parent:    ('ebuild', '/', 'net-libs/xulrunner-1.9_beta5-r1', 'merge')
Depstring: java? ( >=virtual/jdk-1.4 ) java? ( >=virtual/jre-1.4 )
>=sys-devel/binutils-2.16.1 >=dev-libs/nss-3.12_beta3
>=dev-libs/nspr-4.7.1_beta2 >=app-text/hunspell-1.1.9 >=media-libs/lcms-1.17
>=dev-db/sqlite-3.5 dev-util/pkgconfig x11-libs/libXrender x11-libs/libXt
x11-libs/libXmu >=sys-libs/zlib-1.1.4 dev-util/pkgconfig x11-libs/libXrender
x11-libs/libXt x11-libs/libXmu >=media-libs/jpeg-6b dev-libs/expat app-arch/zip
app-arch/unzip >=www-client/mozilla-launcher-1.58 >=x11-libs/gtk+-2.8.6
>=dev-libs/glib-2.8.2 >=x11-libs/pango-1.10.1 >=dev-libs/libIDL-0.8.0 gnome? (
>=gnome-base/gnome-vfs-2.16.3 >=gnome-base/libgnomeui-2.16.1
>=gnome-base/gconf-2.16.0 >=gnome-base/libgnome-2.16.0 ) dbus? (
>=dev-libs/dbus-glib-0.72 ) startup-notification? (
>=x11-libs/startup-notification-0.8 ) !<x11-base/xorg-x11-6.7.0-r2
>=x11-libs/cairo-1.5.12 java? ( >=dev-java/java-config-2.0.33-r1
>=sys-apps/portage-2.1.2.7 ) =sys-devel/automake-1.10* =sys-devel/autoconf-2.1*
sys-devel/libtool
Priority: hard
Candidates: ['>=gnome-base/libgnome-2.16.0', '>=dev-libs/nspr-4.7.1_beta2',
'x11-libs/libXrender', '=sys-devel/autoconf-2.1*', 'dev-util/pkgconfig',
'=sys-devel/automake-1.10*', 'x11-libs/libXmu', 'app-arch/unzip',
'>=x11-libs/gtk+-2.8.6', '>=gnome-base/gnome-vfs-2.16.3',
'>=dev-libs/dbus-glib-0.72', 'app-arch/zip', '>=media-libs/jpeg-6b',
'>=dev-libs/nss-3.12_beta3', '>=sys-libs/zlib-1.1.4', '>=media-libs/lcms-1.17',
'>=gnome-base/libgnomeui-2.16.1', '>=gnome-base/gconf-2.16.0',
'>=x11-libs/cairo-1.5.12', '>=dev-db/sqlite-3.5',
'>=sys-devel/binutils-2.16.1', '>=app-text/hunspell-1.1.9', 'dev-libs/expat',
'x11-libs/libXt', '>=dev-libs/glib-2.8.2', '>=x11-libs/pango-1.10.1',
'>=dev-libs/libIDL-0.8.0', 'sys-devel/libtool',
'>=www-client/mozilla-launcher-1.58', '!<x11-base/xorg-x11-6.7.0-r2']
installed: gnome-base/libgnome-2.22.0
installed: dev-libs/nspr-4.7.1_beta2
installed: x11-libs/libXrender-0.9.4
installed: sys-devel/autoconf-2.13
installed: dev-util/pkgconfig-0.23
installed: sys-devel/automake-1.10.1
installed: x11-libs/libXmu-1.0.3
installed: app-arch/unzip-5.52-r2
installed: x11-libs/gtk+-2.12.9-r2
installed: gnome-base/gnome-vfs-2.22.0
installed: dev-libs/dbus-glib-0.74-r1
installed: app-arch/zip-2.32-r1
installed: media-libs/jpeg-6b-r8
installed: dev-libs/nss-3.12_rc2
installed: sys-libs/zlib-1.2.3-r1
installed: media-libs/lcms-1.17
installed: gnome-base/libgnomeui-2.22.1
installed: gnome-base/gconf-2.22.0
installed: x11-libs/cairo-1.6.4
installed: dev-db/sqlite-3.5.6
installed: sys-devel/binutils-2.18-r1
installed: app-text/hunspell-1.2.2_beta
installed: dev-libs/expat-2.0.1
installed: x11-libs/libXt-1.0.5
installed: dev-libs/glib-2.16.3
installed: x11-libs/pango-1.20.2
installed: dev-libs/libIDL-0.8.10
installed: sys-devel/libtool-1.5.26
installed: www-client/mozilla-launcher-1.59
Exiting... ('ebuild', '/', 'net-libs/xulrunner-1.9_beta5-r1', 'merge')

Parent:    ('ebuild', '/', 'net-libs/xulrunner-1.9_beta5-r1', 'merge')
Depstring: java? ( >=virtual/jre-1.4 ) >=sys-devel/binutils-2.16.1
>=dev-libs/nss-3.12_beta3 >=dev-libs/nspr-4.7.1_beta2 >=app-text/hunspell-1.1.9
>=media-libs/lcms-1.17 >=dev-db/sqlite-3.5 x11-libs/libXrender x11-libs/libXt
x11-libs/libXmu >=sys-libs/zlib-1.1.4 x11-libs/libXrender x11-libs/libXt
x11-libs/libXmu >=media-libs/jpeg-6b dev-libs/expat app-arch/zip app-arch/unzip
>=www-client/mozilla-launcher-1.58 >=x11-libs/gtk+-2.8.6 >=dev-libs/glib-2.8.2
>=x11-libs/pango-1.10.1 >=dev-libs/libIDL-0.8.0 gnome? (
>=gnome-base/gnome-vfs-2.16.3 >=gnome-base/libgnomeui-2.16.1
>=gnome-base/gconf-2.16.0 >=gnome-base/libgnome-2.16.0 ) dbus? (
>=dev-libs/dbus-glib-0.72 ) startup-notification? (
>=x11-libs/startup-notification-0.8 ) !<x11-base/xorg-x11-6.7.0-r2
>=x11-libs/cairo-1.5.12 java? ( >=dev-java/java-config-2.0.33-r1
>=sys-apps/portage-2.1.2.7 )
Priority: medium
Candidates: ['>=gnome-base/libgnome-2.16.0', '>=dev-libs/nspr-4.7.1_beta2',
'x11-libs/libXrender', 'x11-libs/libXmu', 'app-arch/unzip',
'>=x11-libs/gtk+-2.8.6', '>=gnome-base/gnome-vfs-2.16.3',
'>=dev-libs/dbus-glib-0.72', 'app-arch/zip', '>=media-libs/jpeg-6b',
'>=dev-libs/nss-3.12_beta3', '>=sys-libs/zlib-1.1.4', '>=media-libs/lcms-1.17',
'>=gnome-base/libgnomeui-2.16.1', '>=gnome-base/gconf-2.16.0',
'>=x11-libs/cairo-1.5.12', '>=dev-db/sqlite-3.5',
'>=sys-devel/binutils-2.16.1', '>=app-text/hunspell-1.1.9', 'dev-libs/expat',
'x11-libs/libXt', '>=dev-libs/glib-2.8.2', '>=x11-libs/pango-1.10.1',
'>=dev-libs/libIDL-0.8.0', '>=www-client/mozilla-launcher-1.58',
'!<x11-base/xorg-x11-6.7.0-r2']
Exiting... ('ebuild', '/', 'net-libs/xulrunner-1.9_beta5-r1', 'merge')

Parent:    ('ebuild', '/', 'net-news/liferea-1.4.15', 'merge')
Depstring: libnotify? ( >=x11-libs/libnotify-0.3.2 ) lua? ( >=dev-lang/lua-5.1
) xulrunner? ( =net-libs/xulrunner-1.8* ) !xulrunner? ( firefox? (
=www-client/mozilla-firefox-2* ) ) !xulrunner? ( !firefox? ( seamonkey? (
=www-client/seamonkey-1* ) ) ) !amd64? ( !xulrunner? ( !firefox? ( !seamonkey?
( gtkhtml? ( gnome-extra/gtkhtml:2 ) ) ) ) ) >=x11-libs/gtk+-2.8 x11-libs/pango
>=gnome-base/gconf-2 >=dev-libs/libxml2-2.6.27 >=dev-libs/libxslt-1.1.19
>=dev-db/sqlite-3.3 >=dev-libs/glib-2 >=gnome-base/libglade-2 dbus? (
>=dev-libs/dbus-glib-0.71 ) networkmanager? ( net-misc/networkmanager ) gnutls?
( net-libs/gnutls ) dev-util/pkgconfig >=dev-util/intltool-0.35
>=sys-apps/sed-4
Priority: hard
Candidates: ['>=gnome-base/libglade-2', 'x11-libs/pango',
'>=x11-libs/gtk+-2.8', '>=dev-db/sqlite-3.3', '>=sys-apps/sed-4',
'>=dev-libs/dbus-glib-0.71', '>=dev-libs/glib-2', 'net-misc/networkmanager',
'=net-libs/xulrunner-1.8*', 'dev-util/pkgconfig', 'net-libs/gnutls',
'>=dev-libs/libxslt-1.1.19', '>=dev-util/intltool-0.35',
'>=dev-libs/libxml2-2.6.27', '>=gnome-base/gconf-2',
'>=x11-libs/libnotify-0.3.2']
installed: gnome-base/libglade-2.6.2
installed: x11-libs/pango-1.20.2
installed: x11-libs/gtk+-2.12.9-r2
installed: dev-db/sqlite-3.5.6
installed: sys-apps/sed-4.1.5-r1
installed: dev-libs/dbus-glib-0.74-r1
installed: dev-libs/glib-2.16.3
installed: net-misc/networkmanager-0.6.6
   ebuild: net-libs/xulrunner-1.8.1.14
installed: net-libs/gnutls-2.2.2
installed: dev-libs/libxslt-1.1.23
installed: dev-util/intltool-0.37.1
installed: dev-libs/libxml2-2.6.31
installed: gnome-base/gconf-2.22.0
installed: x11-libs/libnotify-0.4.4
Exiting... ('ebuild', '/', 'net-news/liferea-1.4.15', 'merge')

Parent:    ('ebuild', '/', 'net-news/liferea-1.4.15', 'merge')
Depstring: libnotify? ( >=x11-libs/libnotify-0.3.2 ) lua? ( >=dev-lang/lua-5.1
) xulrunner? ( =net-libs/xulrunner-1.8* ) !xulrunner? ( firefox? (
=www-client/mozilla-firefox-2* ) ) !xulrunner? ( !firefox? ( seamonkey? (
=www-client/seamonkey-1* ) ) ) !amd64? ( !xulrunner? ( !firefox? ( !seamonkey?
( gtkhtml? ( gnome-extra/gtkhtml:2 ) ) ) ) ) >=x11-libs/gtk+-2.8 x11-libs/pango
>=gnome-base/gconf-2 >=dev-libs/libxml2-2.6.27 >=dev-libs/libxslt-1.1.19
>=dev-db/sqlite-3.3 >=dev-libs/glib-2 >=gnome-base/libglade-2 dbus? (
>=dev-libs/dbus-glib-0.71 ) networkmanager? ( net-misc/networkmanager ) gnutls?
( net-libs/gnutls )
Priority: medium
Candidates: ['>=gnome-base/libglade-2', 'x11-libs/pango',
'>=x11-libs/gtk+-2.8', '>=dev-db/sqlite-3.3', '>=dev-libs/dbus-glib-0.71',
'>=dev-libs/glib-2', 'net-misc/networkmanager', '=net-libs/xulrunner-1.8*',
'net-libs/gnutls', '>=dev-libs/libxslt-1.1.19', '>=dev-libs/libxml2-2.6.27',
'>=gnome-base/gconf-2', '>=x11-libs/libnotify-0.3.2']
Exiting... ('ebuild', '/', 'net-news/liferea-1.4.15', 'merge')

Parent:    ('ebuild', '/', 'net-libs/xulrunner-1.8.1.14', 'merge')
Depstring: java? ( >=virtual/jdk-1.4 ) >=sys-libs/zlib-1.1.4
>=sys-devel/binutils-2.16.1 >=dev-libs/nss-3.11.5 >=dev-libs/nspr-4.6.5-r1
java? ( >=virtual/jre-1.4 ) dev-util/pkgconfig =sys-devel/automake-1.10*
=sys-devel/autoconf-2.1* sys-devel/libtool x11-libs/libXrender x11-libs/libXt
x11-libs/libXmu >=sys-libs/zlib-1.1.4 dev-util/pkgconfig x11-libs/libXrender
x11-libs/libXt x11-libs/libXmu >=media-libs/jpeg-6b >=media-libs/libpng-1.2.1
dev-libs/expat app-arch/zip app-arch/unzip >=www-client/mozilla-launcher-1.42
>=x11-libs/gtk+-2.8.6 >=dev-libs/glib-2.8.2 >=x11-libs/pango-1.10.1
>=dev-libs/libIDL-0.8.0 gnome? ( >=gnome-base/gnome-vfs-2.3.5
>=gnome-base/libgnomeui-2.2.0 ) !<x11-base/xorg-x11-6.7.0-r2
>=x11-libs/cairo-1.0.0 xinerama? ( x11-proto/xineramaproto ) xprint? (
x11-proto/printproto ) java? ( >=dev-java/java-config-2.0.33-r1
>=sys-apps/portage-2.1.2.7 )
Priority: hard
Candidates: ['x11-libs/libXrender', '=sys-devel/autoconf-2.1*',
'dev-util/pkgconfig', 'sys-devel/libtool', 'x11-proto/xineramaproto',
'x11-libs/libXmu', 'app-arch/unzip', '>=gnome-base/libgnomeui-2.2.0',
'>=www-client/mozilla-launcher-1.42', 'app-arch/zip', '>=media-libs/jpeg-6b',
'>=media-libs/libpng-1.2.1', '>=x11-libs/cairo-1.0.0', '>=sys-libs/zlib-1.1.4',
'>=x11-libs/gtk+-2.8.6', '>=sys-devel/binutils-2.16.1', 'dev-libs/expat',
'x11-libs/libXt', '>=dev-libs/glib-2.8.2', '>=x11-libs/pango-1.10.1',
'>=dev-libs/libIDL-0.8.0', '=sys-devel/automake-1.10*',
'>=dev-libs/nspr-4.6.5-r1', '!<x11-base/xorg-x11-6.7.0-r2',
'>=dev-libs/nss-3.11.5', '>=gnome-base/gnome-vfs-2.3.5']
installed: x11-proto/xineramaproto-1.1.2
installed: gnome-base/libgnomeui-2.22.1
installed: www-client/mozilla-launcher-1.59
installed: media-libs/libpng-1.2.26-r1
installed: x11-libs/cairo-1.6.4
installed: dev-libs/nspr-4.7.1_beta2
installed: dev-libs/nss-3.12_rc2
installed: gnome-base/gnome-vfs-2.22.0
Exiting... ('ebuild', '/', 'net-libs/xulrunner-1.8.1.14', 'merge')

Parent:    ('ebuild', '/', 'net-libs/xulrunner-1.8.1.14', 'merge')
Depstring: >=sys-libs/zlib-1.1.4 >=sys-devel/binutils-2.16.1
>=dev-libs/nss-3.11.5 >=dev-libs/nspr-4.6.5-r1 java? ( >=virtual/jre-1.4 )
x11-libs/libXrender x11-libs/libXt x11-libs/libXmu >=sys-libs/zlib-1.1.4
x11-libs/libXrender x11-libs/libXt x11-libs/libXmu >=media-libs/jpeg-6b
>=media-libs/libpng-1.2.1 dev-libs/expat app-arch/zip app-arch/unzip
>=www-client/mozilla-launcher-1.42 >=x11-libs/gtk+-2.8.6 >=dev-libs/glib-2.8.2
>=x11-libs/pango-1.10.1 >=dev-libs/libIDL-0.8.0 gnome? (
>=gnome-base/gnome-vfs-2.3.5 >=gnome-base/libgnomeui-2.2.0 )
!<x11-base/xorg-x11-6.7.0-r2 >=x11-libs/cairo-1.0.0 java? (
>=dev-java/java-config-2.0.33-r1 >=sys-apps/portage-2.1.2.7 )
Priority: medium
Candidates: ['x11-libs/libXt', '>=www-client/mozilla-launcher-1.42',
'app-arch/unzip', '>=x11-libs/pango-1.10.1', 'x11-libs/libXrender',
'!<x11-base/xorg-x11-6.7.0-r2', '>=gnome-base/gnome-vfs-2.3.5',
'>=media-libs/libpng-1.2.1', 'app-arch/zip', '>=dev-libs/nspr-4.6.5-r1',
'>=sys-devel/binutils-2.16.1', '>=dev-libs/glib-2.8.2',
'>=dev-libs/nss-3.11.5', '>=media-libs/jpeg-6b',
'>=gnome-base/libgnomeui-2.2.0', '>=x11-libs/cairo-1.0.0', 'x11-libs/libXmu',
'>=dev-libs/libIDL-0.8.0', '>=sys-libs/zlib-1.1.4', '>=x11-libs/gtk+-2.8.6',
'dev-libs/expat']
Exiting... ('ebuild', '/', 'net-libs/xulrunner-1.8.1.14', 'merge')
... done!
[ebuild   R   ] net-libs/xulrunner-1.8.1.14  USE="gnome ipv6 xinerama -debug
-java -xprint" 0 kB 
[ebuild     U ] net-libs/xulrunner-1.9_beta5-r1 [1.9_beta5] USE="dbus gnome
ipv6 -debug -java -startup-notification" 0 kB 
[ebuild     U ] net-news/liferea-1.4.15 [1.4.14] USE="dbus gnutls libnotify
networkmanager xulrunner* -debug -firefox* -gtkhtml -lua -seamonkey" 0 kB

(In reply to comment #0)
> Currently portage 2.1.5_rc6 wants to rebuild xulrunner-1.8 which shouldn't be
> required:
> 
> "xulrunner" gets pulled in by the command line arg, portage resolves it as 1.9
> (highest version), and then in the same depgraph, gets in liferea, then it
> decides whether to include liferea's deps in the depgraph, sees "xulrunner"
> there (instead of xulrunner-1.9) and pulls in 1.8 too.

The code that matches arguments with packages doesn't work correctly when
multiple slots are involved. Until this is fixed, you can use a more specific
atom like =xulrunner-1.9 as a workaround.

This is fixed in 2.1.5_rc7.