When trying to emerge dev-python/matplotlib on a headless server running w/o xorg, portage tries to pull in xorg with friends. Reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: 1. emerge matplotlib Actual Results: Portage tries to pull in xorg: $ emerge matplotlib -pvt These are the packages that I would merge, in reverse order: Calculating dependencies ...done! [ebuild N ] x11-terms/xterm-200-r1 -Xaw3d -debug -toolbar -truetype -unicode 681 kB [ebuild N ] sys-apps/utempter-0.5.5.5-r1 -debug 20 kB [ebuild N ] app-arch/rpm2targz-9.0-r2 2 kB [ebuild N ] dev-python/matplotlib-0.64 -gtk 0 kB [ebuild N ] x11-base/xorg-x11-6.8.2-r1 -3dfx +3dnow +bitmap-fonts -cjk -debug -dlloader -dmx -doc -font-server -hardened -insecure-drivers +ipv6 -minimal +mmx +nls +opengl +pam -sdk +sse -static +truetype-fonts +type1-fonts (-uclibc) -xprint +xv 45,094 kB [ebuild N ] x11-misc/ttmkfdir-3.0.9-r2 -debug 19 kB [ebuild N ] media-libs/fontconfig-2.2.3 0 kB [ebuild N ] x11-base/opengl-update-2.1.1-r1 0 kB Total size of downloads: 45,818 kB Expected Results: emerge matplotlib and its real dependencies only. If I remove the string "virtualx" from the ebuild, then portage will no longer attempt to emerge xorg. However, that causes an error with a command called "virtualbuild" which results in a failed installation. matplotlib does not depend on X, and virtualx should therefore not be inherited.
Sorry, I said "virtualbuild", but meant "virtualmake".
It seems the new matplotlib doesn't need X to build anymore. I've removed it, so now matplotlib doesn't depend on virtualx anymore.
Good stuff! One small problem, however: It seems that matplotlib depends on freetype, so that should be added to deps. Thanks