# Cabal: option \`--lib' is ambiguous; could be one of:

**URL:** <https://uzu.lurk.org/t/cabal-option-lib-is-ambiguous-could-be-one-of/3282>\
**Category:** TidalCycles\
**Tags:** installation\
**Created:** [1 July 2021 17:43 UTC](https://uzu.lurk.org/t/cabal-option-lib-is-ambiguous-could-be-one-of/3282 "2021-07-01T17:43:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 10\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bitwo](https://uzu.lurk.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bitwo](https://uzu.lurk.org/u/bitwo)\
**Post date:** [1 July 2021 17:43 UTC](https://uzu.lurk.org/t/cabal-option-lib-is-ambiguous-could-be-one-of/3282/1 "2021-07-01T17:43:41Z")

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I get this message on Linux, what can/should I do? Thanks 4 help!

```haskell
~$ cabal install tidal --lib
cabal: option `--lib' is ambiguous; could be one of:
--libdir=DIR installation directory for libraries
--libsubdir=DIR subdirectory of libdir in which libs are
installed
--libexecdir=DIR installation directory for program
executables
--libexecsubdir=DIR subdirectory of libexecdir in which private
executables are installed
--library-profiling-detail=level Profiling detail level for libraries only.

```

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**Author:** ![bgold](https://uzu.lurk.org/user_avatar/uzu.lurk.org/bgold/32/383_2.png) [@bgold](https://uzu.lurk.org/u/bgold)\
**Post date:** [2 July 2021 01:32 UTC](https://uzu.lurk.org/t/cabal-option-lib-is-ambiguous-could-be-one-of/3282/2 "2021-07-02T01:32:15Z")

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Perhaps you have an old version of cabal?

What does `cabal --version` report?

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**Author:** ![cleary](https://uzu.lurk.org/user_avatar/uzu.lurk.org/cleary/32/177_2.png) [@cleary](https://uzu.lurk.org/u/cleary)\
**Post date:** [2 July 2021 01:58 UTC](https://uzu.lurk.org/t/cabal-option-lib-is-ambiguous-could-be-one-of/3282/3 "2021-07-02T01:58:43Z")

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> [@bitwo](#):
>
> ...on Linux

also, what distro?

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**Author:** ![bitwo](https://uzu.lurk.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bitwo](https://uzu.lurk.org/u/bitwo)\
**Post date:** [2 July 2021 05:15 UTC](https://uzu.lurk.org/t/cabal-option-lib-is-ambiguous-could-be-one-of/3282/4 "2021-07-02T05:15:53Z")

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Linux Mint.  
I think the the ubuntu/debian Linux line

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bitwo](https://uzu.lurk.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bitwo](https://uzu.lurk.org/u/bitwo)\
**Post date:** [2 July 2021 05:47 UTC](https://uzu.lurk.org/t/cabal-option-lib-is-ambiguous-could-be-one-of/3282/5 "2021-07-02T05:47:12Z")

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```haskell
~$ cabal --version
cabal-install version 2.4.0.0
compiled using version 2.4.0.1 of the Cabal library 
~$ 

```

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**Author:** ![cleary](https://uzu.lurk.org/user_avatar/uzu.lurk.org/cleary/32/177_2.png) [@cleary](https://uzu.lurk.org/u/cleary)\
**Post date:** [2 July 2021 08:05 UTC](https://uzu.lurk.org/t/cabal-option-lib-is-ambiguous-could-be-one-of/3282/6 "2021-07-02T08:05:16Z")

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This may be of interest to you:

> **[cleary/ansible-tidalcycles](https://github.com/cleary/ansible-tidalcycles)**
>
> ansible playbooks for installing the Tidal Cycles live coding environment with a single command, supporting multiple editors commonly used with Tidal - cleary/ansible-tidalcycles

Based on the [task that installs tidal](https://www.github.com/cleary/ansible-tidalcycles-base/tree/master/tasks%2Fpostinst.yml),

`cabal install tidal`

Should be ample

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bitwo](https://uzu.lurk.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bitwo](https://uzu.lurk.org/u/bitwo)\
**Post date:** [2 July 2021 08:26 UTC](https://uzu.lurk.org/t/cabal-option-lib-is-ambiguous-could-be-one-of/3282/7 "2021-07-02T08:26:25Z")

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Thanks, that works. I think I am not the only one to trip over this dispensable "--lib"  
I recommend to wipe the problematic "--lib" in the manual.  
Thanks

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bitwo](https://uzu.lurk.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bitwo](https://uzu.lurk.org/u/bitwo)\
**Post date:** [2 July 2021 08:29 UTC](https://uzu.lurk.org/t/cabal-option-lib-is-ambiguous-could-be-one-of/3282/8 "2021-07-02T08:29:16Z")

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I am new to Tidal and thankful for any help! Many thanks for pointing me to:

> [@cleary](#):
>
> [GitHub - cleary/ansible-tidalcycles: ansible playbooks for installing the Tidal Cycles live coding environment with a single command, supporting multiple editors commonly used with Tidal](https://github.com/cleary/ansible-tidalcycles)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bgold](https://uzu.lurk.org/user_avatar/uzu.lurk.org/bgold/32/383_2.png) [@bgold](https://uzu.lurk.org/u/bgold)\
**Post date:** [2 July 2021 11:05 UTC](https://uzu.lurk.org/t/cabal-option-lib-is-ambiguous-could-be-one-of/3282/9 "2021-07-02T11:05:24Z")

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> [@bitwo](#):
>
> I recommend to wipe the problematic "--lib" in the manual.

The problem is that the options depend on the cabal version - starting with cabal 3.0 they changed how cabal makes "projects", which complicates Tidal installation.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bitwo](https://uzu.lurk.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bitwo](https://uzu.lurk.org/u/bitwo)\
**Post date:** [2 July 2021 11:39 UTC](https://uzu.lurk.org/t/cabal-option-lib-is-ambiguous-could-be-one-of/3282/10 "2021-07-02T11:39:06Z")

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Eventually a remark to check the cabal-version (`cabal --version`) in advance and then fork to the proper command can help?  
Thanks