How to install Valgrind on macOS Mojave(10.14) with Homebrew?

Question

I tried to install Valgrind with brew install Valgrind and got :

valgrind: This formula either does not compile or function as expected
on macOS versions newer than Sierra due to an upstream
incompatibility. 
Error: An unsatisfied requirement failed this build.

I tried brew install --HEAD Valgrind.

Instead, after successfully installing the dependencies autoconf, automake and libtool, when it tries to install valgrind, I get a configure error:

Valgrind works on Darwin 10.x, 11.x, 12.x, 13.x, 14.x, 15.x, 16.x and
17.x (Mac OS X 10.6/7/8/9/10/11 and macOS 10.12/13)

My OS is macOS Mojave(10.14), so does it mean that I can't install a functioning Valgrind with Homebrew presently?

Answer 1

A (rather painful) install from source workaround based on this patch, this post and this answer.

$ git clone https://github.com/Echelon9/valgrind.git
$ cd valgrind
$ git checkout feature/v3.14/macos-mojave-support-v2
$ ./autogen.sh
$ ./configure --prefix=/where/you/want/it/installed --enable-only64bit
$ make

If you get the following error: No rule to make target '/usr/include/mach/mach_vm.defs’, you will need to run xcode-select --install. You might need to install Xcode from the app store if you don't already have it. Once that's done, you will need to edit the coregrind/Makefile:

Search for:

am__append_19 = \
    /usr/include/mach/mach_vm.defs \
        /usr/include/mach/task.defs \
        /usr/include/mach/thread_act.defs \
        /usr/include/mach/vm_map.defs

After double checking the below folder exists, prefix every line with:

/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.14.sdk

End result should be:

am__append_19 = \
    /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.14.sdk/usr/include/mach/mach_vm.defs \
        /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.14.sdk/usr/include/mach/task.defs \
        /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.14.sdk/usr/include/mach/thread_act.defs \
        /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.14.sdk/usr/include/mach/vm_map.defs

Now run make again and the includes should be found. But that doesn't necessarily mean it will compile. I got the following error:

vg_preloaded.c:136:19: error: expected ';' before 'const'
 __private_extern__ const char *__crashreporter_info__ = "Instrumented by Valgrind " VERSION;

A fix for this is to add the following line:

#define __private_extern__ extern

to the following files:

• coregrind/m_syscall.c
• coregrind/m_syswrap/syswrap-darwin.c
• coregrind/vg_preloaded.c

Finally, you need to cross your fingers hoping no other errors show up:

$ make
$ make install

Answer 2

You may use Experimental Version of Valgrind for macOS 10.14.5 Mojave at:

https://github.com/sowson/valgrind

The command to use it is:

brew install --HEAD https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sowson/valgrind/master/valgrind.rb

It is still experimental and needs some work but for simple projects works already... Enjoy!

Answer 3

addition: I found this one worked for me on my OSX 10.14

brew install --HEAD https://raw.githubusercontent.com/LouisBrunner/valgrind-macos/master/valgrind.rb

A branch that is working to get OSX correct. something to tide us over until we get a real valgrind version fixed.

Answer 4

As others have mentioned, Louis Brunner maintains a working version at https://github.com/LouisBrunner/valgrind-macos.

brew tap LouisBrunner/valgrind
brew install --HEAD LouisBrunner/valgrind/valgrind

This worked for me for MacOS 10.15.7 Catalina.

Answer 5

I am having the same issue. It seems like valgrind is not compatible with the newest macOS(10.14 Mojave). Tried installing it the High Sierra way (https://www.gungorbudak.com/blog/2018/04/28/how-to-install-valgrind-on-macos-high-sierra/) and got the same output you described. The only solution I can offer you right now is either working on virtual machine (https://www.virtualbox.org/) or using Docker (https://www.gungorbudak.com/blog/2018/06/13/memory-leak-testing-with-valgrind-on-macos-using-docker-containers/).

Answer 6

I have just found a working solution to use VALGRIND on my Mac (Mojave 10.14.6). Just run this command :

brew install --HEAD https://raw.githubusercontent.com/LouisBrunner/valgrind-macos/master/valgrind.rb

(From https://github.com/LouisBrunner/valgrind-macos)

Hope it will work for you.

Answer 7

Not a proper solution for macOs, but for the time being, I created a docker image. After installing docker for macOS, this is how to start valgrind:

cd </path/to/source/directory/where/you/want/run/valgrind/with>
curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/biocyberman/ValgrindDocker/master/startValgrind
./startValgrind # this will takes time for the first time, because it needs to fetch docker valgrind image
# you will get a root command prompt inside the docker image. 
# do what ever you want
# type 'exit' to quit

Answer 8

As of 2019-NOV-30, it is possible to build against OS X 10.14.6 via https://github.com/sowson/valgrind and https://github.com/LouisBrunner/valgrind-macos

However, there are many test failures (see the LouisBrunner link), noise during runs, and SEGVs when running against non-trivial programs: installing is, well, installing. YMMV.

Answer 9

You can follow alex.m's answer to get valgrind, but if you'r using it on a int main() { return 0; } program, you'll get many weird errors, and non-existing allocs / free.

To 'hide' these annoying errors, you can follow theses steps (it's more a workaround than a real fix) (based on this wiki page and some research in Valgrind's source code):

• First, create and compile a int main() { return 0; } program.
• Execute the following command (to create file containing error suppression):

valgrind --leak-check=full --show-reachable=yes --error-limit=no --gen-supressions=all --log-file=$YOUR_LOG$ $YOUR_BINARY$

• Using this gawk script, create the .supp valgrind file:

cat ./$YOUR_LOG$ | ./$YOUR_SCRIPT_FILE$ > minimal.supp

• Copy and Past minimal.supp content at the end of $YOUR_VALGRIND_INSTALLATION_PATH$/lib/valgrind/default.supp file

And you are done! Weird and nonexistent errors will be ignored. If you also want's to remove the non-existing allocs, frees etc, you can directly edit Valgrind's source code. Or just use heapusage for leak-tracking

Answer 10

(works on mojave 10.14.6)

brew install --HEAD https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sowson/valgrind/master/valgrind.rb

Answer 11

It seems like this specific version of OSX is problematic with valgrind, so it won't be easy as brew install the package. Fortunately the following way worked for me:

First download need MacOSX10.14 sdk, This comes with XCode but you can also download it here. The path where you unzip it will be referenced as <PATH TO OSX SDK>

Then do the following

$ git clone https://github.com/Echelon9/valgrind.git
$ cd valgrind
$ git checkout feature/v3.14/macos-mojave-support-v2
$ ./autogen.sh
$ ./configure --prefix=<installation_path> --enable-only64bit

Edit coregrind/Makefile, change this:

am__append_19 = \
/usr/include/mach/mach_vm.defs \
    /usr/include/mach/task.defs \
    /usr/include/mach/thread_act.defs \
    /usr/include/mach/vm_map.defs

to

    am__append_19 = \
<PATH TO OSX SDK>/MacOSX10.14.sdk/usr/include/mach/mach_vm.defs \
    <PATH TO OSX SDK>/MacOSX10.14.sdk/usr/include/mach/task.defs \
    <PATH TO OSX SDK>/MacOSX10.14.sdk/usr/include/mach/thread_act.defs \
    <PATH TO OSX SDK>/MacOSX10.14.sdk/usr/include/mach/vm_map.defs

Then run

$ make
$ make install