# Precompilation error when installing Makie/GLMakie

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/precompilation-error-when-installing-makie-glmakie/126460>\
**Category:** Visualization\
**Tags:** question, error, precompilation\
**Created:** [March 1, 2025, 11:47pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/precompilation-error-when-installing-makie-glmakie/126460 "2025-03-01T23:47:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![LucasMSpereira](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/lucasmspereira/32/26393_2.png) [@LucasMSpereira](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/LucasMSpereira)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2025, 11:47pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/precompilation-error-when-installing-makie-glmakie/126460/1 "2025-03-01T23:47:29Z")

</div>

When trying to add Makie, precompilation errors are triggered (with GLMakie, Pango\_jll and GLMakie also show up in this list):

```julia
Precompiling project...
  ✗ OpenEXR
  ✗ Cairo_jll
  ✗ HarfBuzz_jll
  ✗ libass_jll
  ✗ FFMPEG_jll
  ✗ Makie
  2 dependencies successfully precompiled in 46 seconds. 275 already precompiled.
  6 dependencies errored.
  For a report of the errors see `julia> err`. To retry use `pkg> precompile`

```

`err` shows:

```julia
Failed to precompile Makie [ee78f7c6-11fb-53f2-987a-cfe4a2b5a57a] to "C:\\Users\\Win\\.julia\\compiled\\v1.11\\Makie\\jl_9323.tmp".
ERROR: LoadError: InitError: could not load library "C:\Users\Win\.julia\artifacts\ce4261864aeaa78b205a3f6fb750be4c4afe9b4b\bin\libfribidi-0.dll"
The specified module could not be found.
Stacktrace:
  [1] dlopen(s::String, flags::UInt32; throw_error::Bool)
    @ Base.Libc.Libdl .\libdl.jl:120
  [2] dlopen(s::String, flags::UInt32)
    @ Base.Libc.Libdl .\libdl.jl:119
  [3] macro expansion
    @ C:\Users\Win\.julia\packages\JLLWrappers\GfYNv\src\products\library_generators.jl:63 [inlined]
  [4] __init__ ()
    @ FriBidi_jll C:\Users\Win\.julia\packages\FriBidi_jll\oCK8P\src\wrappers\x86_64-w64-mingw32.jl:9
  [5] run_module_init(mod::Module, i::Int64)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:1378
  [6] register_restored_modules(sv::Core.SimpleVector, pkg::Base.PkgId, path::String)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:1366
  [7] _include_from_serialized(pkg::Base.PkgId, path::String, ocachepath::String, depmods::Vector{Any}, ignore_native::Nothing; register::Bool)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:1254
  [8] _include_from_serialized (repeats 2 times)
    @ .\loading.jl:1210 [inlined]
  [9] _require_search_from_serialized(pkg::Base.PkgId, sourcepath::String, build_id::UInt128, stalecheck::Bool; reasons::Dict{String, Int64}, DEPOT_PATH::Vector{String})
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2057
 [10] _require(pkg::Base.PkgId, env::String)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2527
 [11] __require_prelocked(uuidkey::Base.PkgId, env::String)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2388
 [12] #invoke_in_world#3
    @ .\essentials.jl:1089 [inlined]
 [13] invoke_in_world
    @ .\essentials.jl:1086 [inlined]
 [14] _require_prelocked(uuidkey::Base.PkgId, env::String)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2375
 [15] macro expansion
    @ .\loading.jl:2314 [inlined]
 [16] macro expansion
    @ .\lock.jl:273 [inlined]
 [17] __require(into::Module, mod::Symbol)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2271
 [18] #invoke_in_world#3
    @ .\essentials.jl:1089 [inlined]
 [19] invoke_in_world
    @ .\essentials.jl:1086 [inlined]
 [20] require(into::Module, mod::Symbol)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2260
 [21] include(mod::Module, _path::String)
    @ Base .\Base.jl:557
 [22] top-level scope
    @ C:\Users\Win\.julia\packages\JLLWrappers\GfYNv\src\toplevel_generators.jl:199
 [23] include
    @ .\Base.jl:557 [inlined]
 [24] include_package_for_output(pkg::Base.PkgId, input::String, depot_path::Vector{String}, dl_load_path::Vector{String}, load_path::Vector{String}, concrete_deps::Vector{Pair{Base.PkgId, UInt128}}, source::String)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2881
 [25] top-level scope
    @ stdin:6
during initialization of module FriBidi_jll
in expression starting at C:\Users\Win\.julia\packages\libass_jll\lHiRd\src\wrappers\x86_64-w64-mingw32.jl:5
in expression starting at C:\Users\Win\.julia\packages\libass_jll\lHiRd\src\libass_jll.jl:2
in expression starting at stdin:6
ERROR: LoadError: Failed to precompile libass_jll [0ac62f75-1d6f-5e53-bd7c-93b484bb37c0] to "C:\\Users\\Win\\.julia\\compiled\\v1.11\\libass_jll\\jl_9A65.tmp".
Stacktrace:
  [1] error(s::String)
    @ Base .\error.jl:35
  [2] compilecache(pkg::Base.PkgId, path::String, internal_stderr::IO, internal_stdout::IO, keep_loaded_modules::Bool; flags::Cmd, cacheflags::Base.CacheFlags, reasons::Dict{String, Int64}, loadable_exts::Nothing)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:3174
  [3] (::Base.var"#1110#1111"{Base.PkgId})()
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2579
  [4] mkpidlock(f::Base.var"#1110#1111"{Base.PkgId}, at::String, pid::Int32; kwopts::@Kwargs{stale_age::Int64, wait::Bool})
    @ FileWatching.Pidfile C:\Users\Win\AppData\Local\Programs\Julia-1.11.2\share\julia\stdlib\v1.11\FileWatching\src\pidfile.jl:95
  [5] #mkpidlock#6
    @ C:\Users\Win\AppData\Local\Programs\Julia-1.11.2\share\julia\stdlib\v1.11\FileWatching\src\pidfile.jl:90 [inlined]
  [6] trymkpidlock(::Function, ::Vararg{Any}; kwargs::@Kwargs{stale_age::Int64})
    @ FileWatching.Pidfile C:\Users\Win\AppData\Local\Programs\Julia-1.11.2\share\julia\stdlib\v1.11\FileWatching\src\pidfile.jl:116
  [7] #invokelatest#2
    @ .\essentials.jl:1057 [inlined]
  [8] invokelatest
    @ .\essentials.jl:1052 [inlined]
  [9] maybe_cachefile_lock(f::Base.var"#1110#1111"{Base.PkgId}, pkg::Base.PkgId, srcpath::String; stale_age::Int64)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:3698
 [10] maybe_cachefile_lock
    @ .\loading.jl:3695 [inlined]
 [11] _require(pkg::Base.PkgId, env::String)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2565
 [12] __require_prelocked(uuidkey::Base.PkgId, env::String)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2388
 [13] #invoke_in_world#3
    @ .\essentials.jl:1089 [inlined]
 [14] invoke_in_world
    @ .\essentials.jl:1086 [inlined]
 [15] _require_prelocked(uuidkey::Base.PkgId, env::String)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2375
 [16] macro expansion
    @ .\loading.jl:2314 [inlined]
 [17] macro expansion
    @ .\lock.jl:273 [inlined]
 [18] __require(into::Module, mod::Symbol)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2271
 [19] #invoke_in_world#3
    @ .\essentials.jl:1089 [inlined]
 [20] invoke_in_world
    @ .\essentials.jl:1086 [inlined]
 [21] require(into::Module, mod::Symbol)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2260
 [22] include(mod::Module, _path::String)
    @ Base .\Base.jl:557
 [23] top-level scope
    @ C:\Users\Win\.julia\packages\JLLWrappers\GfYNv\src\toplevel_generators.jl:199
 [24] include
    @ .\Base.jl:557 [inlined]
 [25] include_package_for_output(pkg::Base.PkgId, input::String, depot_path::Vector{String}, dl_load_path::Vector{String}, load_path::Vector{String}, concrete_deps::Vector{Pair{Base.PkgId, UInt128}}, source::String)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2881
 [26] top-level scope
    @ stdin:6
in expression starting at C:\Users\Win\.julia\packages\FFMPEG_jll\x6Plb\src\wrappers\x86_64-w64-mingw32.jl:4
in expression starting at C:\Users\Win\.julia\packages\FFMPEG_jll\x6Plb\src\FFMPEG_jll.jl:2
in expression starting at stdin:6
ERROR: LoadError: Failed to precompile FFMPEG_jll [b22a6f82-2f65-5046-a5b2-351ab43fb4e5] to "C:\\Users\\Win\\.julia\\compiled\\v1.11\\FFMPEG_jll\\jl_996B.tmp".
Stacktrace:
  [1] error(s::String)
    @ Base .\error.jl:35
  [2] compilecache(pkg::Base.PkgId, path::String, internal_stderr::IO, internal_stdout::IO, keep_loaded_modules::Bool; flags::Cmd, cacheflags::Base.CacheFlags, reasons::Dict{String, Int64}, loadable_exts::Nothing)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:3174
  [3] (::Base.var"#1110#1111"{Base.PkgId})()
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2579
  [4] mkpidlock(f::Base.var"#1110#1111"{Base.PkgId}, at::String, pid::Int32; kwopts::@Kwargs{stale_age::Int64, wait::Bool})
    @ FileWatching.Pidfile C:\Users\Win\AppData\Local\Programs\Julia-1.11.2\share\julia\stdlib\v1.11\FileWatching\src\pidfile.jl:95
  [5] #mkpidlock#6
    @ C:\Users\Win\AppData\Local\Programs\Julia-1.11.2\share\julia\stdlib\v1.11\FileWatching\src\pidfile.jl:90 [inlined]
  [6] trymkpidlock(::Function, ::Vararg{Any}; kwargs::@Kwargs{stale_age::Int64})
    @ FileWatching.Pidfile C:\Users\Win\AppData\Local\Programs\Julia-1.11.2\share\julia\stdlib\v1.11\FileWatching\src\pidfile.jl:116
  [7] #invokelatest#2
    @ .\essentials.jl:1057 [inlined]
  [8] invokelatest
    @ .\essentials.jl:1052 [inlined]
  [9] maybe_cachefile_lock(f::Base.var"#1110#1111"{Base.PkgId}, pkg::Base.PkgId, srcpath::String; stale_age::Int64)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:3698
 [10] maybe_cachefile_lock
    @ .\loading.jl:3695 [inlined]
 [11] _require(pkg::Base.PkgId, env::String)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2565
 [12] __require_prelocked(uuidkey::Base.PkgId, env::String)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2388
 [13] #invoke_in_world#3
    @ .\essentials.jl:1089 [inlined]
 [14] invoke_in_world
    @ .\essentials.jl:1086 [inlined]
 [15] _require_prelocked(uuidkey::Base.PkgId, env::String)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2375
 [16] macro expansion
    @ .\loading.jl:2314 [inlined]
 [17] macro expansion
    @ .\lock.jl:273 [inlined]
 [18] __require(into::Module, mod::Symbol)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2271
 [19] #invoke_in_world#3
    @ .\essentials.jl:1089 [inlined]
 [20] invoke_in_world
    @ .\essentials.jl:1086 [inlined]
 [21] require(into::Module, mod::Symbol)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2260
 [22] include
    @ .\Base.jl:557 [inlined]
 [23] include_package_for_output(pkg::Base.PkgId, input::String, depot_path::Vector{String}, dl_load_path::Vector{String}, load_path::Vector{String}, concrete_deps::Vector{Pair{Base.PkgId, UInt128}}, source::Nothing)
    @ Base .\loading.jl:2881
 [24] top-level scope
    @ stdin:6
in expression starting at C:\Users\Win\.julia\packages\Makie\ux0Te\src\Makie.jl:1
in expression starting at stdin:

```

I tried adding versions of Makie/GLMakie other than the latest ones, but similar problems occurred. `versioninfo()` is this, but the same happens in Julia 1.11.3:

```julia
Julia Version 1.11.2
Commit 5e9a32e7af (2024-12-01 20:02 UTC)
Build Info:
  Official https://julialang.org/ release
Platform Info:
  OS: Windows (x86_64-w64-mingw32)
  CPU: 28 × Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-14700F
  WORD_SIZE: 64
  LLVM: libLLVM-16.0.6 (ORCJIT, alderlake)
Threads: 1 default, 0 interactive, 1 GC (on 28 virtual cores)

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ufechner7](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/ufechner7/32/51363_2.png) [@ufechner7](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ufechner7)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2025, 6:36am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/precompilation-error-when-installing-makie-glmakie/126460/2 "2025-03-02T06:36:09Z")

</div>

Did you try to install it in a clean environment?

```julia
mkdir test
cd test
julia --project=.

```

and then in Julia

```julia
using Pkg
pkg"add GlMakie"

```

?

If you want to use GLMakie don’t add Makie itself as direct depenceny.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![hanshinlee77](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/hanshinlee77/32/32867_2.png) [@hanshinlee77](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/hanshinlee77)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2025, 3:41pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/precompilation-error-when-installing-makie-glmakie/126460/3 "2025-03-02T15:41:07Z")

</div>

Same issue here even in a clean environment.

Does an environment contain all compiled packages separate from the global environment? It appears an environment only contains Manifest.toml and Projects.toml which just point to specific artifacts for that environment. I probably need to read up how Julia environment is supposed to work, but didn’t have an issue in v1.10. Is it possible that the GLMakie (and its dependecies) already installed for v1.10 may be clashing with v1.11 installation?

> Precompiling project…  
> ✗ Fontconfig\_jll  
> ✗ Cairo\_jll  
> ✗ WebP  
> ✗ HarfBuzz\_jll  
> ✗ libass\_jll  
> ✗ Pango\_jll  
> ✗ FFMPEG\_jll  
> ✗ Makie  
> ✗ GLMakie  
> 0 dependencies successfully precompiled in 67 seconds. 278 already precompiled.  
> 9 dependencies errored.  
> For a report of the errors see `julia> err`. To retry use `pkg> precompile`

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ufechner7](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/ufechner7/32/51363_2.png) [@ufechner7](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ufechner7)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2025, 4:05pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/precompilation-error-when-installing-makie-glmakie/126460/4 "2025-03-02T16:05:14Z")

</div>

For each Julia version packages are installed separately.

So a clash between versions is not possible.

You could try to delete the folder:

`.julia/compiled`

and see if this helps.

You could also try to rename the folder .jula to .jula.bak and try if that helps, but that would mean you have to install all packages again.

The global environments you can find in the folder `.julia/environments`, separated by Julia version.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ufechner7](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/ufechner7/32/51363_2.png) [@ufechner7](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ufechner7)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2025, 4:08pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/precompilation-error-when-installing-makie-glmakie/126460/5 "2025-03-02T16:08:10Z")

</div>

> [@hanshinlee77](#):
>
> Does an environment contain all compiled packages separate from the global environment?

An environment contains the names and version numbers of the packages for your project, stored in the file Manifest.toml. The packages itself are shared between all environments (if they have the same version number) and you can find them in `.julia/packages` and `.julia/compiled`

If you want to use a local environment you must start Julia with:

```julia
julia --project

```

If you open a folder in VSCode you will be asked which environment you want to use.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![hanshinlee77](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/hanshinlee77/32/32867_2.png) [@hanshinlee77](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/hanshinlee77)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2025, 5:16pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/precompilation-error-when-installing-makie-glmakie/126460/6 "2025-03-02T17:16:25Z")

</div>

Thank you. I tried to rename .julia, and GLMakie installation came through without a problem. I probably messed up the global environment in the past as I recently started having some issue with installing packages even in v1.10.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![LucasMSpereira](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/lucasmspereira/32/26393_2.png) [@LucasMSpereira](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/LucasMSpereira)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2025, 5:30pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/precompilation-error-when-installing-makie-glmakie/126460/7 "2025-03-02T17:30:16Z")

</div>

Deleting .julia/compiled and starting the session with `julia --project` didn’t work.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ufechner7](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/ufechner7/32/51363_2.png) [@ufechner7](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ufechner7)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2025, 5:47pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/precompilation-error-when-installing-makie-glmakie/126460/8 "2025-03-02T17:47:53Z")

</div>

> [@hanshinlee77](#):
>
> I tried to rename .julia, and GLMakie installation came through without a problem.

So do you consider the issue as solved?

Please also have a look at: [Working with Julia projects | Julia programming notes](https://ufechner7.github.io/2022/08/16/julia-projects.html)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![LucasMSpereira](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/lucasmspereira/32/26393_2.png) [@LucasMSpereira](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/LucasMSpereira)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2025, 6:17pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/precompilation-error-when-installing-makie-glmakie/126460/9 "2025-03-02T18:17:27Z")

</div>

A fresh julia installation on my computer fixed the issue. Probably something I messed up in the environments and installations a long time ago. Thanks for the responses still.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ufechner7](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/ufechner7/32/51363_2.png) [@ufechner7](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ufechner7)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2025, 6:48pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/precompilation-error-when-installing-makie-glmakie/126460/10 "2025-03-02T18:48:00Z")

</div>

As long as you are using `juliaup` a fresh Julia installation is mostly not needed, but deleting or renaming the folder `.julia` can fix broken package installation issues. I just realized that `juliaup` installs Julia also in the `.julia/juliaup` folder, so yes, this could be called a new installation, but it happens automatically when you launch `julia` the next time after deleting/renaming the `.julia` folder.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sdanisch](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/sdanisch/32/1406_2.png) [@sdanisch](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/sdanisch)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2025, 7:18pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/precompilation-error-when-installing-makie-glmakie/126460/11 "2025-03-02T19:18:47Z")

</div>

this looks more like an artifact issue so deleting `~\.julia\artifacts` is what could fix it…  
it would be good to figure out what’s happening with `Fontconfig_jll`/`OpenEXR` though.  
Maybe add them in a new environment and see if they compile

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![hanshinlee77](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/hanshinlee77/32/32867_2.png) [@hanshinlee77](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/hanshinlee77)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2025, 10:00pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/precompilation-error-when-installing-makie-glmakie/126460/12 "2025-03-02T22:00:54Z")

</div>

I think so for me at least. I only had a vague idea about the julia project. Thanks for sharing the link. It really cleared up some of the misconceptions/questions I had, and it appears to be a great way to manage my scripts written for different applications.