[Visualpython-users] Compiling VPython on Mandrake Linux 9

[surfer <mc...@we...>]

Gary, 
yesterday I tried to find out again why we have a problem with the
cvisual modules compilation and installation on Mandrake Linux. 

Trying to compile with gcc 3.2:
===============================

A 1st step further was possible with the hint of Kevin Cole
 - http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=2217612 - 

In <Inst-dir>/VPython/cvisual/CXX/Include/CXX_Config.h
you find in line 5: 
==============================================
#define STANDARD_LIBRARY_HAS_ITERATOR_TRAITS 1
==============================================

This one I set to 0: 
(I wasn't sure what was meant with "to toggle" in the source above - but
obviously switch on/off via setting 1 or 0): 
==============================================
#define STANDARD_LIBRARY_HAS_ITERATOR_TRAITS 0
==============================================

Compilation of the files in cvisual directory continued till 
platlinux.cpp. 
Here a failure occurred due to the following string in several files in
the /VPython/cvisual directory 
=======================================
...
" string format(string fs, ...) " 
...
=======================================
- the three dots seemed to be a problem. 

O.k. - no way out here for me without help of a c++ experienced person. 



Finally I stepped back to a solution which ...
==============================================

Bruce Sherwood
<bas...@un...>
 set on his info page http://www.vpython.org/morelinux.html . 

================================
Here's what I did to get it done: 
================================
1) files I installed (I can't say whether they're all necessary - I only
wanted to get the stuff running finally!): 
Mesa-5.0-2mdk.i586.rpm 
libMesaGL1-5.0-2mdk.i586.rpm
libMesaGLU1-5.0-2mdk.i586.rpm
libMesaGLU1-devel-5.0-2mdk.i586.rpm
libMesaglut3-5.0-2mdk.i586.rpm
libMesaglut3-devel-5.0-2mdk.i586.rpm

gcc 3.2 and 2.96:
=================
gcc2.96-2.96-0.80mdk.i586.rpm
gcc2.96-c++-2.96-0.80mdk.i586.rpm
gcc2.96-colorgcc-2.96-0.80mdk.i586.rpm
gcc2.96-cpp-2.96-0.80mdk.i586.rpm

Assuming that you've installed gcc 3.2 as default, 
you need, too: 
gcc-colorgcc-3.2-4mdk.i586.rpm

Now you'll find in /etc/ the file colorgccrc: 
===================================================================
# Define the paths to the actual location of the various compilers.
# (Currently, colorgcc only understands these: g++ gcc c++ cc)
g++: /usr/bin/g++-3.2
gcc: /usr/bin/gcc-3.2
c++: /usr/bin/g++-3.2
cc:  /usr/bin/gcc-3.2
...
===================================================================


I changed / added following lines: 
===================================================================
#g++: /usr/bin/g++-3.2
#gcc: /usr/bin/gcc-3.2
#c++: /usr/bin/g++-3.2
#cc:  /usr/bin/gcc-3.2

g++: /usr/bin/g++-2.96
gcc: /usr/bin/gcc-2.96
c++: /usr/bin/g++-2.96
cc:  /usr/bin/gcc-2.96
===================================================================

Now - I checked with ...

"
[root@mcl]# gcc -v
Reading specs from /usr/lib/gcc-lib/i586-mandrake-linux-gnu/2.96/specs
gcc version 2.96 20000731 (Mandrake Linux 9.0 2.96-0.80mdk)
"

/local/:
========
In <Inst_dir>/VPython/
I deleted "/local/" from following files: 
	idle: line 2
	install: line 2
	visual-demos: line3
./cvisual/
	Makefile: line 7
	install: line 2

gtkglarea: 
==========
In this last mentioned file "install" in the cvisual directory ...
I commented out the lines regarding installation of the gtkglarea files,
because I have installed these (or newer) versions already on my system.

I don't remember any other changes. 
starting the script
<Inst-dir>/VPython/install
lead to a complete installation in the default /usr/lib/python2.2/...
directory. 

Check path of idle:
===================
"
[root@mcl idle_VPython]# whereis idle
idle: /usr/bin/idle
"

Start of Demo in path "/usr/share/python-visual/Programs/Demos"
===============================================================

I started idle (default /usr/bin/idle)
and opened a file in the Demo path: 
e.g.: "/usr/share/python-visual/Programs/Demos/Tk-Visual.py"

Press F5 ...
- success! 

By the way - 
I'm working with an AMD K7 650MHz noname system and 256MB RAM.
Kernel is 2.4.20, 
Desktop most often KDE 3.1 RCx. 

Fine:
=====
Nevertheless - I still would like to know the reason why we got stuck
with the gcc 3.2. 
Maybe, somebody else in the VPython forum can help us a little. 

My hope is that somebody could make a more flexible installation script
available for download. 

If you want - give me a feedback. 
See you ...
-- 
surfer <mc...@we...>