"tensorflow/core/framework/common_shape_fns.h: No such file or directory" when adding custom op in tensorflow

Question

I am trying to add a custom op in Tensorflow in Google Colab using this Tensorflow Doc. However, when building I am getting this error.

2021-04-05 04:24:26.500483: I tensorflow/stream_executor/platform/default/dso_loader.cc:49] Successfully opened dynamic library libcudart.so.11.0
2021-04-05 04:24:29.436586: I tensorflow/stream_executor/platform/default/dso_loader.cc:49] Successfully opened dynamic library libcudart.so.11.0
xor_op.cc:2:10: fatal error: tensorflow/core/framework/common_shape_fns.h: No such file or directory
 #include "tensorflow/core/framework/common_shape_fns.h"
          ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
compilation terminated.

The building commands are,

$ TF_LFLAGS=($(python -c 'import tensorflow as tf; print(" ".join(tf.sysconfig.get_link_flags()))'))
$ TF_CFLAGS=($(python -c 'import tensorflow as tf; print(" ".join(tf.sysconfig.get_compile_flags()))'))
$ 
$ g++ -std=c++14 -shared xor_op.cc -o xor_op.so -fPIC ${TF_CFLAGS[@]} ${TF_LFLAGS[@]} -O2

Any idea what is the problem in this case?

Answer 1

Use the following steps to run this in Google Colab. Basically, we will remove the use of the variables (e.g, TF_LFLAGS, TF_CFLAGS) in building and build this with direct command.

1. Add the cpp file.

# create empty file and copy and paste code
! touch ./xor_op.cc

Or use magic operation,

%%writefile xor_op.cc

#And contents of the file

2. Get compile flags from TensorFlow.

tf.sysconfig.get_compile_flags()
# output: ['-I/usr/local/lib/python3.7/dist-packages/tensorflow/include',
# '-D_GLIBCXX_USE_CXX11_ABI=0']

3. Get linking flags from TensorFlow.

tf.sysconfig.get_link_flags()
# output: ['-L/usr/local/lib/python3.7/dist-packages/tensorflow',
# '-l:libtensorflow_framework.so.2']

4. Build the op.

! g++ -std=c++14 -shared \
    xor_op.cc \
    -o xor_op.so \
    -fPIC \
    -I/usr/local/lib/python3.7/dist-packages/tensorflow/include \
    -D_GLIBCXX_USE_CXX11_ABI=0 \
    -L/usr/local/lib/python3.7/dist-packages/tensorflow \
    -l:libtensorflow_framework.so.2 \
    -O2

Now this will create the intended .so file. This was pointed out by gobrewers14 in the comment section of another question.