Python 1.5.x (x > 1) for BeOS
This directory contains several useful things to help you build your own
version of Python for BeOS.
What's Here?
ar-fake - A shell script used by the build process to emulate a "real"
POSIX ar command; helps to build the Python shared library.
linkcc - A shell script used by the build process to build the Python
shared library.
linkmodule - A shell script used by the build process to build the
shared library versions of the standard modules; you'll
probably need this if you want to build dynamically loaded
modules from the Python archives.
PyImport_BeImageID.html - Documentation for a function added to the
Python interpreter under BeOS; not interesting
unless you're writing your own BeOS-specific
modules for dealing with dynamically-loaded
Python modules.
README - This file (obviously!).
README.readline-2.2 - Instructions for compiling/installing GNU readline 2.2.
You'll have to grab the GNU readline source code from
prep.ai.mit.edu:/pub/GNU or any other GNU mirror.
The Python interpreter is much nicer to work with
interactively if you've got readline installed. Highly
recommended.
Compiling Your Own Version
To compile your own version of Python 1.5.x for BeOS (with any luck,
Python 1.5.2 and later will compile "out of the box" on BeOS), try this:
1) Get the latest Python source code from ftp.python.org.
2) Configure with:
AR=$(pwd)/BeOS/ar-fake RANLIB=: ./configure --verbose \
--prefix=/boot/home/config --with-thread
If you're on a PowerPC system, add this anywhere in config.h:
#ifndef DL_EXPORT
# define DL_EXPORT(RTYPE) __declspec(dllexport) RTYPE
#endif
#ifndef DL_IMPORT
# ifdef USE_DL_EXPORT
# define DL_IMPORT(RTYPE) __declspec(dllexport) RTYPE
# else
# define DL_IMPORT(RTYPE) __declspec(dllimport) RTYPE
# endif
#endif
3) Copy Modules/Setup.in to Modules/Setup.
4) Edit Modules/Setup to turn on all the modules you want built.
Make sure you use _socket instead of socket for the name of the
socketmodule on BeOS.
If you want the modules to be built as shared libraries, instead of as
part of the Python shared library, be sure to uncomment the #*shared*
line.
5) Make sure Modules/Makefile.pre has REALLIBRARY set to:
REALLIBRARY=../libpython$(VERSION).so
6) Make:
make AR=$(pwd)/BeOS/ar-fake RANLIB=: OPT=-DUSE_DL_EXPORT \
CCSHARED=-UUSE_DL_EXPORT MACHDEP=beos
On PowerPC systems, you'll see lots of warnings about duplicate
symbols when things get linked; don't worry about this, it's
harmless (and should disappear soon).
7) Test:
make AR=$(pwd)/BeOS/ar-fake RANLIB=: OPT=-DUSE_DL_EXPORT \
CCSHARED=-UUSE_DL_EXPORT test
Expect the following errors:
test_grp crashed -- exceptions.KeyError : getgrnam(): name not found
test_pwd failed -- Writing: 'fakename', expected: 'caught e'
test_socket crashed -- exceptions.AttributeError : SOCK_RAW
These are all due to either partial support for certain things (like
sockets), or valid differences between systems.
NOTE: On R4/x86, the pause() function is broken; expect the signal
module test to crash Python!
8) Install:
make AR=$(pwd)/BeOS/ar-fake RANLIB=: OPT=-DUSE_DL_EXPORT \
CCSHARED=-UUSE_DL_EXPORT install
This will fail trying to copy libpython1.5.a; at that point in the
install, everything you "normally" need is installed (all the Python
bits), and the stuff you need for compiling C-based modules is half-
installed. This will be fixed before the 1.5.2 release.
9) Enjoy!
- Chris Herborth (chrish@qnx.com)
December 18, 1998