[spambayes-bugs] [ spambayes-Support Requests-1255409 ] Install problems in Linux: setup.py dies

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Support Requests item #1255409, was opened at 08/09/05 18:29
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Category: Install Problem (example)
Group: None
>Status: Closed
Priority: 5
Submitted By: VWFeature (vwfeature)
Assigned to: Nobody/Anonymous (nobody)
Summary: Install problems in Linux: setup.py dies

Initial Comment:
Install using Setup gives error:  
_"$ python setup.py install  
running install  
error: invalid Python installation: unable to  
open /usr/lib/python2.3/config/Makefile (No such file or  
directory)"  
Now a Python expert will immediately see what the problem is, 
but I'm not;  that's why I'm using a script.  When it doesn't work, 
I'm stuck.  The idea of the software looks fabulous.  I'm willing to 
slog through an put everything in some useable directory, if 
you'll explain what the script does- or you could fix the script to 
work on more *nix systems.    
  
Other people have had the same problem (see below).  What's  
needed is a clear explanation of how to set up without using the  
script, or a foolproof script.  (When engineers make things more   
foolproof, God invents better fools.)   Here's my setup: 
AMD K6-2 at 533, 392 mb  
Mepis3.3.1   hd install  
Python 2.3.5   
Distutils are installed.  
I'm a complete LInux newbie.  
  
Same error in 1.1.a1 and 1.0.4, and on this page  
http://mail.python.org/pipermail/spambayes/2005-July/017645.html  
He's using Mandrake.  
and here:  
http://mail.python.org/pipermail/spambayes/2005-May/017045.html  
> I'm trying to install spambayes 1.0.4 in a *nix account, and  
there seems to be a reasonable installation of python 2.3 on the  
machine.  Nonetheless, after unzipping and de-tarring the  
source code, I get the  following error:  
  
>     % python setup.py install  
>     running install  
>     error: invalid Python installation: unable to open  
> /usr/lib/python2.3/config/Makefile (No such file or directory)  
  
Comment on prior response below- FWIW, I HAVE Distutils  
installed, and it still doesn't work.  
My impression-just from using lots of software, that is, as a  
user- is that it's a problem in PYTHON.  That is, there's no  
consistent way to let the OS know where python keeps things, so  
there's no way to write scripts that always work. Or the script is  
calling a 'makefile' program that's been replaced.    
  
Prior response  
I believe (Googling seems to back this up) that this means that  
you need to install the python-devel (or however your system  
spells it) package to use distutils.  
  
(You can use SpamBayes without running setup.py, of course -  
just manually put the spambayes package directory on the  
PYTHONPATH, and run the scripts from wherever you like).  
  
HOW?   "Can I just copy the required files manually? If so, what  
files (or directories) are needed to use spambayes with procmail  
(Kmail)?"    
I don't know how to set or find the 'PYTHONPATH' to install  
spambayes myself- if someone does, would you please explain  
it?  

----------------------------------------------------------------------

>Comment By: SourceForge Robot (sf-robot)
Date: 08/24/05 19:20

Message:
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This Tracker item was closed automatically by the system. It was
previously set to a Pending status, and the original submitter
did not respond within 14 days (the time period specified by
the administrator of this Tracker).

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Comment By: Tony Meyer (anadelonbrin)
Date: 08/09/05 20:08

Message:
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If you believe this is a problem with Python, please ask
comp.lang.python (python-list at python.org) or open a report
at http://sf.net/projects/python.  Certainly SpamBayes does
nothing special with distutils, just a standard pure-python
install.  You could try installing some other Python package
to see if the problem is specific to SpamBayes or not.

To copy files manually, use the "cp" command (see "man cp"
for details).  You need the spambayes package directory (the
one that has "__init__.py" in it) somewhere that Python will
find it.  Running "python -c "import sys;print sys.path"
will print out a list of the places Python will look for the
directory.

You can also set the environment "PYTHONPATH" to include
paths to add to the places Python looks for
packages/modules.  (See "man export" for detailed help). 
Something like "export
PYTHONPATH=$PYTHONPATH:~/spambayes/spambayes".

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