cirrus: Various fixes for macOS Cirrus CI

[DeeDeeG]

Context / Issues / Timeline

Our Cirrus CI has been on the fritz for the past month-ish.

• Last passing/green Cirrus Cron build was here:
  • Wed, 14 Feb 2024 15:00 https://cirrus-ci.com/build/6417466427965440
• Cirrus cron builds have been been failing/red since the next one, starting here:
  • Fri, 16 Feb 2024 15:00 https://cirrus-ci.com/build/4984604403171328
  • Failing due to an ARM Linux issue... which was fixed in Cirrus: Install older dotenv gem version ~> 2.8 (< 3) #937
• And the next one was failed/red for an additional, different reason, an expired Rolling upload (GitHub.com REST API) token. (My fault, apologies.)
  • Mon, 19 Feb 2024 15:00 https://cirrus-ci.com/task/6096096573784064
  • Should be fixed by: cirrus: Update Rolling upload token again #960
• And starting several days later, there is a failed/red build due to some Python environment configuration change, see PEP 668, apparently
  • Fri, 23 Feb 2024 15:00 https://cirrus-ci.com/task/6669707223236608
  • Should be fixed by the current PR installing python-setuptools with Homebrew, not pip.
  • Notice this is still on a macOS Monterey base image "Auto-upgraded from ghcr.io/cirruslabs/macos-monterey-xcode:14 to ghcr.io/cirruslabs/macos-monterey-xcode:latest"
• Several days later, another failed/red build for an additional, new reason: Base images for macOS Monterey are being "auto-upgraded" to the latest OS version available, macOS Sonoma. I suppose the older Monterey Cirrus base images are hard-deprecated, given that two newer major OS versions of macOS are out and supported on Cirrus now?
  • Wed, 6 Mar 2024 15:00 https://cirrus-ci.com/task/5226704512221184
  • Should be addressed by the current PR pinning to macOS Ventura (13.x) instead of macOS Sonoma (14.x).
  • Note the new upgrade message: "Auto-upgraded from ghcr.io/cirruslabs/macos-monterey-xcode:14 to ghcr.io/cirruslabs/macos-sonoma-xcode:latest"

Changes / Fixes

• Pin the base (CI-provided) OS image to Ventura, not Sonoma
  • Fixes some C/C++ compilation errors??
  • Gives us older XCode & compiler toolchain, I guess?
• Get node using tj/n utility, not Homebrew
  • Homebrew "node" package is conflicting with (now deprecated) "node@16" package, loading dynamic libraries like icu4c keeps breaking...
• Get Yarn using npm global install, not from Homebrew
  • I... honestly don't even know at this point. But Yarn from Homebrew is breaking somehow, possibly due to it referring back to Homebrew "node" package, but that's just a guess. It's cursed, I guess.
• Get python-setuptools from Homebrew, not from pip
  • Why? Why is this necessary? Homebrew, explain? Something about our "environment being externally managed", so global package installs with pip aren't allowed. This makes sense to someone. See PEP 668.
• Adjust PATH exports now that there's no "node@16" from Homebrew

Verification

These changes (plus tweaks to the only_if: directive so the changes would actually run) passed here!: https://cirrus-ci.com/build/4775018807164928

Old commits from my experiments are still hosted here if anyone is curious what I tried in order to get here... DeeDeeG/pulsar@master...cirrus-macOS-fixes-old

[savetheclocktower]

This makes sense to me and contains no obvious errors. Soft approve!

[confused-Techie]

While the patience needed to get this all fixed is very impressive, it is somewhat absolutely ridiculous this much could break in a month in a CI environment.

But anyways super impressed, lets get this all merged, fantastic work!

[DeeDeeG]

it is somewhat absolutely ridiculous this much could break in a month in a CI environment.

It sure is! Wasn't expecting that!

[DeeDeeG]

Thank you both for the reviews, I'm spending a moment for some last minute re-reading of my PR body to make sure I've documented this anomalous amount of needed fixes, then intending to merge soon. Thanks!

[DeeDeeG]

PR body seems fine to me.

And the last find-and-replace package tests finally finished and passed, not that those have anything to do with Cirrus since they're running on GitHub Actions, but it's not a bad thing and I'll take it.

Merging!