[Python-Dev] Threads & autoconf

[Mark Favas]

[Thomas}
>I'm trying to clean up the autoconf (and README) mess wrt. threads a bit,
>but I think I need some hints ;) I can't figure out why there is a separate
>--with-dec-threads option... Is there a reason it can't be autodetected like
>we do for other thread systems ? Does DEC Unix do something very different
>but functional when leaving out the '-threads' option (which is the only
>thing -dec- adds) or is it just "hysterical raisins" ?

Yes, DEC Unix does do something very different without the "-threads"
option to the "cc" line that finally builds the python executable - the
following are unresolved:

cc   python.o \
          ../libpython2.0.a -L/usr/local/lib -ltk8.0 -ltcl8.0 -lX11   
-ldb     
 -L/usr/local/lib -lz  -lnet  -lpthreads -lm  -o python 
ld:
Unresolved:
_PyGC_Insert
_PyGC_Remove
__pthread_mutex_init
__pthread_mutex_destroy
__pthread_mutex_lock
__pthread_mutex_unlock
__pthread_cond_init
__pthread_cond_destroy
__pthread_cond_signal
__pthread_cond_wait
__pthread_create
__pthread_detach
make[1]: *** [link] Error 1

So, it is still needed. It should be possible, though, to detect that
the system is OSF1 during configure and set this without having to do
"--with-dec-threads". I think DEEC/Compaq/Tru 64 Unix is the only
current Unix that reports itself as OSF1. If there are other legacy
systems that do, and don't need "-threads", they could do "configure
--without-dec-threads" <grin>.

Mark
 
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