Please help troubleshoot these errors on attempting to install Hydrogen on OSX

March 1, 2004 11:05 AM

Unix/X-Windows Question: I'm attempting to install Hydrogen on my OSX Mac (X11 installed), and when I run "./configure", it throws crazy errors: "checking for g++... no, checking for c++... no, checking for gpp... no, checking for aCC... no, checking for CC... no, checking for cxx... no, checking for cc++... no, checking for cl... no, checking for FCC... no, checking for KCC... no, checking for RCC... no, checking for xlC_r... no, checking for xlC... no." I've had these problems before, in another context, but I can't remember how to install the modules. Hope me! Bonus points for a thorough explanation of the "why," not just "how."
posted by The Michael The to Computers & Internet (5 answers total)

Well, those error messages aren't very cryptic. configure is looking for stuff and it can't find it. To me it sounds like it looking for a C/C++ compiler. If yoiu're building from source it's going to be pretty necessary. Obvious things to do: if you don't have c compiler get one, if do have one make sure it's in your path. as in

$ export PATH=....:....:..l:$PATH

where ... are the directories you want to search for programs to run.

For libraries make sure they are in you LIBPATH (or whatever OSX uses). See the manual page for sh, ksh, bash, or whatever shell you're running. I'm sure someone will provide a more OSX-specific answer.
posted by rdr at 11:42 AM on March 1, 2004

also, you can see if something is in your path by using "which":
[andrew@ctioyn ~]$ which gcc
/usr/bin/gcc
[andrew@ctioyn ~]$
posted by andrew cooke at 11:57 AM on March 1, 2004

Have you installed the Apple Developer Tools?
posted by mkultra at 12:04 PM on March 1, 2004

Response by poster: mkultra, you're the best.
posted by The Michael The at 12:26 PM on March 1, 2004

As far as a "Why?" explanation: You're not trying to "install Hydrogen." You're not to that point yet. You're trying to "compile Hydrogen;" that is, turn it from a bunch of human-readable source code into a runnable program. Doing so requires, intuitively enough, a compiler.

The Apple Developer Tools mentioned includes a compiler (the aforementioned gcc) and all the other bits and bobs that the software build process needs. That's why installing it made it all better.
posted by majick at 1:38 PM on March 1, 2004