[Pythonmac-SIG] Panther, Python 2.3, anydbm

[Karl Garsha]

That must be the problem I've experienced using the package manager--I'm 
not running the stock Panther python. I overwrote it with a build from 
source somewhere along the line trying to get wxWindows, VTK, Python and 
shelve to work. Lately I've just gone to a 2.3.3 build in the old 
/Library/Frameworks/ location rather than the 
/System/Library/Frameworks/ location.  I guess I didn't realize the 
Apple Python 2.3.0 requirement for the package manager.
-Karl

Bob Ippolito wrote:

> On Feb 22, 2004, at 5:40 PM, garsha wrote:
>
>> I've experienced problems with shelve and anydbm modules being broken 
>> in the context of macPython installs (10.2 and 10.3 addons)--I'm not 
>> sure if it is common knowledge or not, but I haven't seen much 
>> documentation of the issue on the web, so I felt I should bring it up 
>> in case someone else ends up searching for a solution.
>>    The most recent error refers to 'fast mutexes not available on 
>> this platform'--I wish I had saved text from the console so I could 
>> be more specific, but basically it seems to be a problem with the 
>> database libraries available on a stock Panther install.  By 
>> downloading and building the Sleepycat BerkelyDB.4.2, manually 
>> editing the Modules/Setup file to build the bsdb module (after 
>> running ./configure --enable-framework --enable-toolbox-glue), the 
>> problem seems to have been resolved.  I tried to download the 
>> official/unofficial _gdbm.so through the package manager, but the 
>> package manager wouldn't let me, stating that I had to manually 
>> install the library--which I couln't do becuase the 'make install' 
>> phase for building gdbm errors out stating illegal operators to 
>> /usr/bin/install.    It would seem that Apple's python and the 
>> macPython binary installer are going out with broken anydbm and 
>> shelve builtins, and installing the BerkelyDB.4.2 and bsdb module 
>> fixes things (I also downloaded/built/installed the bsddb3 module for 
>> good measure).  The sleepycat db distribution is the only one I could 
>> get to build and install without any headaches or having to resort to 
>> DarwinPorts or Fink.  To some developers, particularly less 
>> experienced ones such as I, this may cause some frustration if they 
>> write code on some other platform which utilizes persistent data 
>> objects, and hope it will run on OS X (and be able to at least create 
>> and read new persistant data objects) unmodified.    If anyone has a 
>> more elegant solution, or I'm just missing something elementary 
>> please let me know. I'm just offering the experience to the list in 
>> the event that it hasn't been documented yet. Regards,
>
>
> Are you talking about _bsddb.so from the "official unofficial package 
> repository" located at http://undefined.org/python/pimp/ ?  This 
> downloads and installs just fine anywhere I've ever tried it, and has 
> no dependency on BerkeleyDB (it is statically linked in)... well, as 
> long as you are using the stock Python 2.3.0 that comes with Panther 
> (which is a requirement for the package repository).
>
> -bob


-- 
Karl Garsha
Light Microscopy Specialist
Imaging Technology Group
Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
405 North Mathews Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
Office: B650J
Phone: 217.244.6292
Fax: 217.244.6219
Mobile: 217.390.1874
www.itg.uiuc.edu