[Mailman-Users] Ok, what's up with python? (ImportError) when running mailman configure..

[Greg Ward]

On 02 October 2001, Paul said:
> I get this error when running configure. Seems most of the python commands
> fail, despite having a clean install. This can't be this difficult!!! 
> 
> I've set my path..
> echo $PYTHONPATH
> /usr/lib/python1.5/lib-dynload
> 
> 
>   File "conftest.py", line 1, in ?
>     import pwd, string
> ImportError: dynamic module does not define init function (initpwd)

Your Python installation is either incomplete or deeply screwed up.  Did
you build Python yourself, or was it included with the OS?  (Most Linux
distributions include it, but they also usually get it right.)

> >From the python build dir (Setup.dist)
> 
> Is this my problem?
> 
> # Modules with some UNIX dependencies -- on by default:
> # (If you have a really backward UNIX, select and socket may not be
> # supported...)
> 
> #fcntl fcntlmodule.c    # fcntl(2) and ioctl(2)
> #pwd pwdmodule.c                # pwd(3) 
> #grp grpmodule.c                # grp(3)

That's probably the problem.  You're not going to get very far in life
without working pwd and grp modules -- those are the Python interfaces
to getpwnam(), getpwuid(), getgrnam(), etc.  Crucial for something like
Mailman.

        Greg