[PLUG] ./configure error

Russ Johnson russj at dimstar.net
Mon Oct 14 17:21:29 UTC 2002


Bruce Kingsland wrote:

>Russ Johnson's Log: StarDate 1013.2113:
>  
>
>>eric wrote:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>checking for ao/ao.h... no 
>>>configure: error: Cannot find ao/ao.h 
>>>
>>>Has anyone ran into this problem?  I'm using Redhat 8.0 and have tried
>>>all the included versions of automake.  Thanks in advance. 
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>Install the "devel" package that goes with the libao package. I don't 
>>have a RH8 system handy, so I can't give you the exact name.
>>
>>I concur with Jeme. You have the library, but not the headers. The 
>>headers and source come in the devel rpms for that package.
>>    
>>
>
>This seems wrong to me. When I see devel in package names, I think of
>me doing development work. I don't think of me just installing
>software and using it.
>

Ah, but you ARE doing development work. You are compiling software from 
source, which is development. You may not be editing the code, but you 
are compiling it. You'll only need those headers if you compile your 
programs. You'll never need them if you always install from a binary RPM.

You are only "installing software and using it" when you never 
"./configure", and always install the binary RPM. Of course, this is 
easier in theory than practice.

>I'd expect the devel package to have source for all the parts of the
>program. If the headers of the binary libraries are necessary for
>installing applications that must be compiled on your system, then why
>can't the headers for that binary library be included in the
>'non-devel' package; assuming that the headers are not the full
>source.
>
They're not required, unless you choose to install and "./configure" 
with the source.

--
Russ Johnson
Dimension 7/Stargate Online
http://www.dimstar.net

Random thought #11 (Collect all 17)
"Every year, back comes Spring, with nasty little birds yapping their fool heads off and the ground all mucked up with plants." - Dorothy Parker






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