Re: [clisp-list] Build problem on Debian

[John K. H. <hi...@al...>]

 > I'm running Debian Woody, kernel 2.2.25 and have just spent waaaay too
 > many hours on a Sunday trying to build some version, any version, of

Chris welcome to the CLISP and Debian club.  Just like Debian itself,
happily it can always be MADE to work, but ...

w.r.t. build issues.  The thing that works for me generally is to
download the most recent release, or the CVS head, and build from
source; I always do the configure and build in one step w/
  ./configure ... --build mydir

 > So, I downloaded the latest source, libsigsegv, etc., followed
 > directions,

a couple pieces of info would help here: exactly what file did you get
as "latest source", i.e., is it "clisp-2.33.tar.gz" or equivalent?

And what did you end doing after "followed directions" i.e., what
actual commands were done for "./configure" and to build.

which GCC you are using is also a good thing to post as CLISP can be
somewhat picky about the GCC version.

But the naem of the source distro. file and the config/build commands
will be essential in getting helping from the list here ... 

 > Next I downloaded 2.29, configure, makemake, edit, etc., etc., etc.  I

In my experience I have not found it productive to backtrack to older
versions' source releases, the reaons being tha the newer versions
tend to fix many more problems than they create.  Time's better spent
figuring out what the problem buliding the latest release.  This is
true of all packages not jsut CLISP.  Also, not being able to build
the latest release bodes ill for being able to upgrade in the future.

 > I must either be doing something really silly (or maybe there is

Maybe ;)  ... you need to post the commands you used tho.
Suggest you try ./confgure with "--build" and skip all the "makemake"
stuff 

 > surely a GNU lisp shouldn't be so difficult to build on Debian
 > GNU/Linux?

I am shocked that anything would be difficult on Debian. ;)

 > Does anybody have any suggestions or ideas, maybe a link or two?

For me the "configure ... --build"

 > How did we get this far in the build without what appear to be the
 > output directories?  All I can think of is that an error somehow went
 > undetected/unhandled by make.

Before runnign "make install" and checking the final system-wide
installation directories, I find it useful to do a test of the CLISP
in the build area.  Locate the directory "full" which shoudl have the
files "lisp.run" and "lispinit.mem" in it.

  E.g.:
   cd /path/to/clisp-2.33/build-dir/full
   ./lisp.run -M lispinit.mem
   
This lisp should have all the compiled-in features you wanted.  If
not, then what you have in the build area shoudl not be installed.

 > ----------------( 'make install' output

The "make install" output is not so useful without first knowing if
you were able to get to a point where you have the "full" directory w/
the files "lisp.run" and "lispinit.mem"

WARNING: I am not an expert on building CLISP however I do manage to
eventually get it built under Debian, so I can probably assist.

I run two commands to build CLISP.  The first is:

./configure                                     \
       --with-readline                          \
       --with-dynamic-ffi                       \
       --with-dynamic-modules                   \
       --with-export-syscalls                   \
       --with-module=wildcard                   \
       --with-module=regexp                     \
       --with-module=bindings/glibc             \
       --with-module=oracle                     \
       --with-module=fastcgi                    \
       --with-module=syscalls                   \
       --build mysrc

This does the config and build all in one step, leaving the build in a
subdirectory called "mysrc".  You will probably want to leave out most
of the --with-module args.

To check it worked I do
	cd /path/to/clisp-2.nn/mysrc/full
	./lisp.run -M lispinit.mem

and make sure it has the features, behaves properly, etc.

To install, I then just do
	cd /path/to/clisp-2.nn/mysrc
	make install

Note: if you want to re-run the configure with --build you
FIRST need to remove the old build area:

	cd /path/to/clisp-2.nn
	rm -rf mysrc

this is somewhat non-obvious IMHO.

Good luck, send more info and we will see if we can get it built,
and then you can get some real work done ;)

---
John Hinsdale, Alma Mater Software, Inc., Tarrytown, NY 10591-3710 USA
hi...@al... | http://www.alma.com/staff/hin | +1 914 631 4690