readline installation problem

[Jian Qiu]

Hi, I tried to install python2.4.2. Unfortunately building 'readline'
extension failed.

Here is what I got: (It is a bit long. If you are impatient, please look
at the end where it reports the warning.)

building 'readline' extension
gcc -pthread -DNDEBUG -g -O3 -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes -fPIC
-fno-strict-aliasing -I. -I/nfs/gs/home/jianq/Python-2.4.2/./Include
-I/gs/home/jianq/include -I/usr/local/include
-I/nfs/gs/home/jianq/Python-2.4.2/Include
-I/nfs/gs/home/jianq/Python-2.4.2 -c
/nfs/gs/home/jianq/Python-2.4.2/Modules/readline.c -o
build/temp.linux-i686-2.4/readline.o
In file included from /gs/home/jianq/include/readline/readline.h:37,
from
/nfs/gs/home/jianq/Python-2.4.2/Modules/readline.c:27:
/gs/home/jianq/include/readline/rltypedefs.h:35: warning: function
declaration isn't a prototype
/gs/home/jianq/include/readline/rltypedefs.h:36: warning: function
declaration isn't a prototype
/gs/home/jianq/include/readline/rltypedefs.h:37: warning: function
declaration isn't a prototype
/gs/home/jianq/include/readline/rltypedefs.h:38: warning: function
declaration isn't a prototype
In file included from /nfs/gs/home/jianq/Python-2.4.2/Modules/readline.c:27:
/gs/home/jianq/include/readline/readline.h:375: warning: function
declaration isn't a prototype
/nfs/gs/home/jianq/Python-2.4.2/Modules/readline.c: In function
`flex_complete':
/nfs/gs/home/jianq/Python-2.4.2/Modules/readline.c:675: warning:
implicit declaration of function `completion_matches'
/nfs/gs/home/jianq/Python-2.4.2/Modules/readline.c:675: warning: return
makes pointer from integer without a cast
gcc -pthread -shared build/temp.linux-i686-2.4/readline.o
-L/usr/lib/termcap -L/gs/home/jianq/lib -L/usr/local/lib -lreadline
-lncurses -o build/lib.linux-i686-2.4/readline.so
*** WARNING: renaming "readline" since importing it failed:
libreadline.so.5: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory

It complains that libreadline.so.5 does not exist. However, I have
libreadline.so.5 installed at /gs/home/jianq/lib which is among the
linking path (-L/gs/home/jianq/lib).

I have been struggling with this for a long time and sincerely hope that
someone can help me with this.

Thanks,

Jian

[Jesper]

Hi Jian,

I just struggled with the same problem - seems the python 2.4.2 does
not recognise readline 5

I finally "solved" the problem by installing readline 4.2, and
explicitly pointing out to configure where the readline library is

../configure --with-libs=/usr/local/lib/libreadline.a

That finally made it work ...

Cheers
Jesper