Re: [Tlf-devel] Bugs....cannot complete autoreconf

[Thomas Beierlein]

Am Sat, 28 Jan 2017 16:28:39 -0700
schrieb w9ya <address@hidden>:

> Tested...es wrks f.b. om's.
> 
Very well.

> (Surely there must be a way to make all the distros happy with finding
> and using panel.h ..... right ?)

And that is not as easy as it sounds. Why? As far as we see, there is
some great diversity between distros how they install curses/ncurses.
The main differences are:

- Support for normal or wide character width, sometimes both at the
  same time
- Which header files to put in which location.
- Use pkg-config files or not (Newer ncurses brings even its own
  ncurses(5/6)-config script).
- How to handle the extra packages (panel, menu and forms) wih regards
  the above decisions.

Our changes at end of 2015, were just an attempt to make things better.
They fixed configuration problems for the distros, we could
check at that time (OpenSuse, Debian, Ubuntu, Gentoo as far as I
remember). Besides using two or three distros here ourselves, we have to
rely on feedback from users and distro managers (no offense intended).

So how to proceed? At the moment the following seems reasonable:

- We are just in the process of preparing tlf-1.3.0 for release. It
  seems not wise to introduce the fix for Arch Linux without further
  tests on other systems.
- We will therefor stay atm with the configuration as provided in the
  github repo for release. So Arch Linux has to patch the script, sorry.
- We will in parallel try to test the new script on as much distros as
  available. If all goes well we will bring in the new
  ax_with_ncurses_extra script in tlf-1.3.1.

Any comment are welcome.

73, de Tom DL1JBE

> 
> es vy 73 om's de baab w9ya
> 
> On Sat, Jan 28, 2017 at 11:50 AM, w9ya <address@hidden> wrote:
> > Outstanding !!!!
> >
> > I'll test it a.s.a.p.
> >
> > es VY 73 om de baab w9ya
> >
> > On Sat, Jan 28, 2017 at 12:34 AM, Thomas Beierlein <address@hidden>
> > wrote:  
> >> Hi Bob,
> >>
> >> there is an easy way to fix the problem (at least for Arch Linux)
> >> by manipulating the ax_with_ncurses_extra.m4 file. That way we can
> >> check for a <panel.h> if a <ncursesw/panel.h> got not be found.
> >>
> >> I have attached such a file to the mail. Maybe you could test it
> >> on the actual master branch.
> >> (I fear it will not be go through to the mailing list, but in case
> >> someone needs it, please give me a hint).
> >>
> >> That patch may have downsides for other distros, but it would be
> >> good to know if it works for your problem.
> >>
> >> I will be back in the evening to discuss it further.
> >>
> >> 73, de Tom DL1JBE
> >>
> >>  Am Fri, 27 Jan 2017
> >> 20:02:06 -0700 schrieb w9ya <address@hidden>:
> >>  
> >>> O.K....!!
> >>>
> >>> Here's what I have done on the ARCHLINUX "front";
> >>>
> >>> - Updated **and** uploaded to the archlinux repos version to 1.2.2
> >>> which is the last version that compiles without "'the" panel.h
> >>> error. ^^^ this version is from NOV-2015 and is before the
> >>> mid-Dec-2015 notes v/v the changelog and is specific to the
> >>> issue; re: panel.h and how panel.h is located/found . <- tlf
> >>> version 1.2.3 will NOT compile (due to the afore mentioned
> >>> panel.h issue and was released in JAN-2016).
> >>>
> >>> - I *have* created a fix to upgrade the version available in the
> >>> archlinux repos to the latest version of tlf ...and
> >>> although it is sloppy, it will work.
> >>>
> >>> SO ..... it would be helpful to know if this bug is an easy fix or
> >>> will it take some time to fix ? i.e. The answer will help me
> >>> decide how to proceed v/v the archlinux repos.
> >>>
> >>> TIA for the answer as to any forthcoming fix and VY 73 om's de
> >>> baab w9ya
> >>>
> >>> On Thu, Jan 26, 2017 at 10:04 AM, Thomas Beierlein
> >>> <address@hidden> wrote:  
> >>> > Thanks Bob,
> >>> >
> >>> > I just made some testing by myself. In former mail I wrote that
> >>> > ax_with_curses_panel should look for panel.h in different
> >>> > locations.
> >>> >
> >>> > It does NOT do that. I just moved the panel.h from
> >>> > ncurses.w/panel.h to only panel.h and I get the same error as on
> >>> > your side. The macro stops searching after the first failed
> >>> > test.
> >>> >
> >>> > Wrt to the libtinfo problem. That should be fixed with the new
> >>> > ax_with_curses which uses pkg-config if available.
> >>> >
> >>> > 73, Tom
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> > Am Thu, 26 Jan 2017 09:42:40 -0700
> >>> > schrieb w9ya <address@hidden>:
> >>> >  
> >>> >> Hey Ervin, Tom, and the gang;
> >>> >>
> >>> >> re: the "discussion 72"
> >>> >>
> >>> >> I've made SOME progress....AND I can clearly state that
> >>> >> installing the libtinfo does NOT help by itself ! Nor does it
> >>> >> help with any of the suggested changes in the
> >>> >> "./configure ....." invocation. And yeah it is related to
> >>> >> upstream issues with pkg-config and so forth.
> >>> >>
> >>> >> so:
> >>> >>
> >>> >> I have completed a successful test build of tlf-git by making
> >>> >> it dependent on a new package called lib_tlf. SImple enough
> >>> >> and this way I can get on with things.
> >>> >> ** I have attached that to here.
> >>> >>
> >>> >> notes:
> >>> >> - I am not sure this is the best fix...as a test run of tlf
> >>> >> looked/seemed odd....that could be due to not actually going
> >>> >> through a normal/proper config or something more problematic.
> >>> >> i.e. I do nit use tlf so I am not sure what to expect. (The
> >>> >> video and colors seem fb.) i.e. ***** I need to compare
> >>> >> versions a bit first, before I cna talk more completely about
> >>> >> there being any other &/or remaining issues.
> >>> >>
> >>> >>
> >>> >> tnxs fer the clues om's es vy 73 de bob w9ya
> >>> >>
> >>> >> On Thu, Jan 26, 2017 at 8:31 AM, w9ya <address@hidden>
> >>> >> wrote:  
> >>> >> > Hey Ervin and the gang;
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> > Please hold off on installing Archlinux....(its a major
> >>> >> > amount of work actually).
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> > I'd like to try the solution(s) in the link for "discussion
> >>> >> > 72" first.
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> > Tnxs om's es vy 73 de bob w9ya
> >>> >> >
> >>> >> > On Thu, Jan 26, 2017 at 3:02 AM, Ervin Hegedüs
> >>> >> > <address@hidden> wrote:  
> >>> >> >> Hi Bob,
> >>> >> >>
> >>> >> >> On Wed, Jan 25, 2017 at 08:09:51PM -0700, w9ya wrote:  
> >>> >> >>> Hey all;
> >>> >> >>>
> >>> >> >>> I *am* able to successfully compile and package v. 1.2.2
> >>> >> >>> but cannot compile either 1.2.3 or 1.2.4.5. (I didn't try
> >>> >> >>> any of the releases between those two.)  
> >>> >> >>
> >>> >> >> interesting - there was an affected issue, which had been
> >>> >> >> fixed by Thomas:
> >>> >> >>
> >>> >> >> https://github.com/Tlf/tlf/issues/72
> >>> >> >>
> >>> >> >> related commit:
> >>> >> >> https://github.com/Tlf/tlf/commit/e4d9e86a8516de7d3416e9a190e9af229a1f6ecf
> >>> >> >>
> >>> >> >> but this was on 13rd of Dec, 2016. 1.2.3 had released on
> >>> >> >> 16th of Jan, 2016.
> >>> >> >>  
> >>> >> >>> I am getting the code from the github repo in all cases
> >>> >> >>>
> >>> >> >>> To wit, here's that last few lines of where the PKGBUILD
> >>> >> >>> ( the packaging "recipe" which is attached below).:
> >>> >> >>>
> >>> >> >>> "
> >>> >> >>>  address@hidden tlf]$ tail tlf-1.2.3-1-x86_64-build.log
> >>> >> >>> checking pkg-config is at least version 0.16... yes
> >>> >> >>> checking for GLIB - version >= 2.0.0... yes (version
> >>> >> >>> 2.50.2) checking for NcursesW wide-character library... yes
> >>> >> >>> checking for working ncursesw/curses.h... no
> >>> >> >>> checking for working ncursesw.h... no
> >>> >> >>> checking for working ncurses.h... yes
> >>> >> >>> checking for Curses Panel library with ncursesw/panel.h...
> >>> >> >>> no configure: error: the Curses Panel library is required  
> >>> >> >>> ==> ERROR: A failure occurred in build().  
> >>> >> >>>     Aborting...
> >>> >> >>> address@hidden tlf]$
> >>> >> >>> "
> >>> >> >>>
> >>> >> >>> *** Here's a few bits of additional info;
> >>> >> >>>
> >>> >> >>> address@hidden tlf]$ pacman -Qo /usr/include/panel.h
> >>> >> >>> /usr/include/panel.h is owned by ncurses 6.0+20161224-1
> >>> >> >>> address@hidden tlf]$  
> >>> >> >>
> >>> >> >> probably you're using ArchLinux - may be it's a new bug.
> >>> >> >>  
> >>> >> >>> SO....*If* I am reading the Changelog correctly this "bug"
> >>> >> >>> was introduced on 15-dec-2015 .  
> >>> >> >>
> >>> >> >> may be you're close that the real problem. (the Changelog
> >>> >> >> contains 2015-12-19, not 15 - but it doesn't matter...)
> >>> >> >>  
> >>> >> >>> Anyways, The comments in the code indicate that this
> >>> >> >>> *should NOT* be a problem, so I am not exactly sure what
> >>> >> >>> is causing this. (Then again I am writing this email prior
> >>> >> >>> to doing anything much more than finding the problem.)  
> >>> >> >>
> >>> >> >> I'll try to install an ArchLinux to a VM, and try to
> >>> >> >> reproduce your problem - I need some time...
> >>> >> >>
> >>> >> >>
> >>> >> >> 73, Ervin
> >>> >> >> HA2OS
> >>> >> >>  
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> >
> >>> > --
> >>> > "Do what is needful!"
> >>> > Ursula LeGuin: Earthsea
> >>> > --
> >>> >  
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> "Do what is needful!"
> >> Ursula LeGuin: Earthsea
> >> --
> >>  



-- 
"Do what is needful!"
Ursula LeGuin: Earthsea
--