Build of Python 2.5 on AIX 5.3 with GCC (tried 
multiple versions: 3.3.2 from Bull Freeware, 4.1.0 and 
4.1.1 from UCLA) fails with the below error message.

Tried various configure lines, which all get to the 
same error, the most simple being:
./configure --disable-ipv6 --with-gcc --with-cxx=g++
(With gcc 3.3.2 I also needed --without-threads)

[...]
building '_ctypes' extension
./Modules/ld_so_aix gcc -pthread -bI:Modules/
python.exp build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-
2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/_ctypes.o build/
temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-2.5/Python-2.5/
Modules/_ctypes/callbacks.o build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/
local/src/python-2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/
callproc.o build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-
2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/stgdict.o build/
temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-2.5/Python-2.5/
Modules/_ctypes/cfield.o build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/
local/src/python-2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/
malloc_closure.o build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/
python-2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/libffi/src/
prep_cif.o build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-
2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/libffi/src/powerpc/
ffi_darwin.o build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/
python-2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/libffi/src/
powerpc/aix.o build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/
python-2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/libffi/src/
powerpc/aix_closure.o -L/usr/local/lib -o build/
lib.aix-5.3-2.5/_ctypes.so
ld: 0711-317 ERROR: Undefined 
symbol: .ffi_prep_cif_machdep
ld: 0711-317 ERROR: Undefined symbol: .ffi_call
ld: 0711-317 ERROR: Undefined symbol: .ffi_prep_closure
ld: 0711-317 ERROR: Undefined 
symbol: .ffi_closure_helper_DARWIN
ld: 0711-345 Use the -bloadmap or -bnoquiet option to 
obtain more information.
collect2: ld returned 8 exit status
*** WARNING: renaming "_ctypes" since importing it 
failed: Could not load module build/lib.aix-5.3-2.5.
System error: No such file or directory
error: No such file or directory
gmake: *** [sharedmods] Error 1

Re-running the failing stanza with -Wl,-bnoquiet gives:

(ld): halt 4
(ld): setopt r/o->w 
(ld): setopt nodelcsect 
(ld): setfflag 4
(ld): savename build/lib.aix-5.3-2.5/_ctypes.so
(ld): filelist 17 3
(ld): setopt noprogram
(ld): entry init_ctypes
ENTRY: Entry point set to init_ctypes
(ld): i /lib/crt0_r.o
(ld): i /tmp//ccigrpfq.o
(ld): lib /usr/lib/libm.a
(ld): i build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-
2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/_ctypes.o
(ld): i build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-
2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/callbacks.o
(ld): i build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-
2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/callproc.o
(ld): i build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-
2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/stgdict.o
(ld): i build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-
2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/cfield.o
(ld): i build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-
2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/malloc_closure.o
(ld): i build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-
2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/libffi/src/prep_cif.o
(ld): i build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-
2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/libffi/src/powerpc/
ffi_darwin.o
(ld): i build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-
2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/libffi/src/powerpc/aix.o
(ld): i build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-
2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/libffi/src/powerpc/
aix_closure.o
(ld): i /usr/local/encap/gcc-4.1.1/bin/../lib/gcc/
powerpc-ibm-aix5.3.0.0/4.1.1/pthread/libgcc.a
(ld): i /usr/local/encap/gcc-4.1.1/bin/../lib/gcc/
powerpc-ibm-aix5.3.0.0/4.1.1/pthread/libgcc_eh.a
(ld): lib /usr/lib/libpthreads.a
(ld): lib /usr/lib/libc.a
LIBRARY: Shared object libpthreads.a[shr_comm.o]: 173 
symbols imported.
LIBRARY: Shared object libpthreads.a[shr_xpg5.o]: 161 
symbols imported.
LIBRARY: Shared object libc.a[shr.o]: 2820 symbols 
imported.
LIBRARY: Shared object libc.a[meth.o]: 2 symbols 
imported.
LIBRARY: Shared object libc.a[posix_aio.o]: 20 symbols 
imported.
LIBRARY: Shared object libc.a[aio.o]: 14 symbols 
imported.
LIBRARY: Shared object libc.a[pse.o]: 5 symbols 
imported.
LIBRARY: Shared object libc.a[dl.o]: 4 symbols 
imported.
LIBRARY: Shared object libc.a[pty.o]: 1 symbols 
imported.
FILELIST: Number of previously inserted files 
processed: 17
(ld): imports Modules/python.exp 
IMPORTS: Symbols imported from import file Modules/
python.exp: 1034
(ld): exports _ctypes.exp 
EXPORTS: Symbols exported: 57
(ld): initfini _GLOBAL__FI__ctypes_so 
_GLOBAL__FD__ctypes_so 
(ld): resolve
RESOLVE: 895 of 7035 symbols were kept.
(ld): addgl /usr/lib/glink.o
ADDGL: Glink code added for 125 symbols.
(ld): er full
ld: 0711-318 ERROR: Undefined symbols were found.
        The following symbols are in error:
 Symbol                    Inpndx  TY CL Source-
File(Object-File) OR Import-File{Shared-object}
                              RLD: Address  Section  
Rld-type Referencing Symbol
 ------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
 .ffi_prep_cif_machdep     [8]     ER PR /usr/local/
src/python-2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/libffi/src/
prep_cif.c(build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-
2.5/Python
-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/libffi/src/prep_cif.o)
                                   00000a44 .text    
R_RBR    [556]   .ffi_prep_cif
 .ffi_call                 [140]   ER PR /usr/local/
src/python-2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/
callproc.c(build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-
2.5/Python-2.5/Module
s/_ctypes/callproc.o)
                                   00001888 .text    
R_RBR    [913]   ._CallProc
                                   00001980 .text    
R_RBR    [913]   ._CallProc
 .ffi_prep_closure         [36]    ER PR /usr/local/
src/python-2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/
callbacks.c(build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/
python-2.5/Python-2.5/Modul
es/_ctypes/callbacks.o)
                                   00000274 .text    
R_RBR    [621]   .AllocFunctionCallback
 .ffi_closure_helper_DARWIN [2]     ER PR 
aix_closure.S(build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/
python-2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/libffi/src/
powerpc/aix_closure.o)
                                   00000070 .text    
R_RBR    [6]     .ffi_closure_ASM
ER: The return code is 8.ld: 0711-317 ERROR: Undefined 
symbol: .ffi_prep_cif_machdep
ld: 0711-317 ERROR: Undefined symbol: .ffi_call
ld: 0711-317 ERROR: Undefined symbol: .ffi_prep_closure
ld: 0711-317 ERROR: Undefined 
symbol: .ffi_closure_helper_DARWIN
collect2: ld returned 8 exit status

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user_id=129055

Did a search of the bug database, and found some simular 
bugs:

http://python.org/sf/1530448
http://python.org/sf/1544339
http://python.org/sf/1529269

Also tried with --with-system-ffi and some other options, 
but got same error:

./configure --disable-ipv6 --with-gcc --with-cxx=g++ --
disable-universalsdk --disable-framework --disable-toolbox-
glue --with-system-ffi --without-threads

Tried adding -Wl,-mimpure-text as in r51113, but that just 
caused an error (I might be doing it wrong or something, 
specifics below)

# ./Modules/ld_so_aix gcc -Wl,-mimpure-text -bI:Modules/
python.exp build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-2.5/
Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/_ctypes.o build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/
usr/local/src/python-2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/
callbacks.o build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-2.5/
Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/callproc.o build/temp.aix-5.3-
2.5/usr/local/src/python-2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/
stgdict.o build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-2.5/
Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/cfield.o build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/
usr/local/src/python-2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/
malloc_closure.o build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/
python-2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/libffi/src/prep_cif.o 
build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-2.5/Python-2.5/
Modules/_ctypes/libffi/src/powerpc/ffi_darwin.o build/
temp.aix-5.3-2.5/usr/local/src/python-2.5/Python-2.5/
Modules/_ctypes/libffi/src/powerpc/aix.o build/temp.aix-5.3-
2.5/usr/local/src/python-2.5/Python-2.5/Modules/_ctypes/
libffi/src/powerpc/aix_closure.o -L/usr/local/lib -o build/
lib.aix-5.3-2.5/_ctypes.so
ld: 0706-027 The -i flag is ignored.
ld: 0706-012 The -p flag is not recognized.
collect2: ld returned 255 exit status

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user_id=129055

As a temporary workaround, is there any way to just disable
building of the ctypes module?

Logged In: YES 
user_id=129055

The only way I could figure out to disable ctypes was via a 
patch to setup.py (included as noctypes.diff). With this 
patch applied, Python 2.5 compiles without issues on AIX 
5.3 / GCC 4.1.1, and seems to work fine (except for ctypes 
of course, and probably some things that depend on ctypes 
are also broken). (For the exact build paramaters used, see 
attached python-2.5.ep)

Logged In: YES 
user_id=21627

You don't need to disable it. It will print error messages,
but you can just ignore them if you don't need the ctypes
module.

Logged In: YES 
user_id=129055

loewis: No, the ctypes error messages cause the build to
fail. Are you saying to use "gmake -k" or something like that?

Logged In: YES 
user_id=21627

No; setup.py should continue on its own. If it doesn't,
that's a bug.

Logged In: YES 
user_id=129055

Ah, well there is a bug then... setup.py does not continue 
on its own. I've added an attachement of a successful full 
build log (built with the noctypes patch), and will attach 
a second full build log that shows the build failing on the 
error when it finishes running in 10-20 minutes...

Logged In: YES 
user_id=129055

Build finished running; full log attached as python-2.5-
ctypes.log.gz. Relevent lines are:

ld: 0711-317 ERROR: Undefined symbol: .ffi_prep_cif_machdep
[... more ld errors ...]
collect2: ld returned 8 exit status
*** WARNING: renaming "_ctypes" since importing it failed: 
Could not load module build/lib.aix-5.3-2.5.
System error: No such file or directory
error: No such file or directory
gmake: *** [sharedmods] Error 1

And at this point gmake exits and the build stops. Running 
gmake again just causes the same error to pop up. 

Logged In: YES 
user_id=1645242

What is the status on this bug? I tried the work around, but
patch doesn't like the diff file provided, says
"Processing...  I cannot find a patch in there anywhere."

Logged In: YES 
user_id=11105

Well, there is certainly a diff in noctypes.diff.  If your
patch program cannot handle it, you may want to apply it
manually (basically you have to remove/comment out two
sections of code in setup.py).

It seems that there are actually two bugs:

1. setup.py doesn't continue after trying to import the
_ctypes extension.  No idea why, but somewhere something
exists the process.

2. _ctypes.so does not build (or better fails to load)
because of missing symbols:

ld: 0711-317 ERROR: Undefined symbol: .ffi_prep_cif_machdep
ld: 0711-317 ERROR: Undefined symbol: .ffi_call
ld: 0711-317 ERROR: Undefined symbol: .ffi_prep_closure
ld: 0711-317 ERROR: Undefined symbol: .ffi_closure_helper_DARWIN


I have no access to an AIX system, do I cannot try this out
myself.  One thing that comes to mind:
These functions are implemented in the file
Modules/_ctypes/libffi/src/powerpc/ffi_darwin.c.  This file
is compiled, without errors.  One problem could be that the
whole file contents are included in an #ifdef block like this:

#ifdef __ppc__
...
#endif

Can it be that __ppc__ is not defined on this system?  Can
someone try out to build with these two lines removed?

Thanks.

That seems to have done the trick actually. __aix__ is in fact not defined on AIX 5.2 (cannot varify on 5.3) and removing the #ifdefs in the suggested file allows for a clean build:

~/Python-2.5 $ ./python
Python 2.5 (r25:51908, Nov 14 2006, 13:19:33) 
[GCC 2.9-aix51-020209] on aix5
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import ctypes
>>> dir (ctypes)
['ARRAY', 'ArgumentError', 'Array', 'BigEndianStructure', 'CDLL', 'CFUNCTYPE', 'DEFAULT_MODE', 'LibraryLoader', 'LittleEndianStructure', 'POINTER', 'PYFUNCTYPE', 'PyDLL', 'RTLD_GLOBAL', 'RTLD_LOCAL', 'SetPointerType', 'Structure', 'Union', '_CFuncPtr', '_FUNCFLAG_CDECL', '_FUNCFLAG_PYTHONAPI', '_Pointer', '_SimpleCData', '__builtins__', '__doc__', '__file__', '__name__', '__path__', '__version__', '__warningregistry__', '_c_functype_cache', '_calcsize', '_cast', '_cast_addr', '_ctypes_version', '_dlopen', '_endian', '_memmove_addr', '_memset_addr', '_os', '_pointer_type_cache', '_string_at', '_string_at_addr', '_sys', '_wstring_at', '_wstring_at_addr', 'addressof', 'alignment', 'byref', 'c_buffer', 'c_byte', 'c_char', 'c_char_p', 'c_double', 'c_float', 'c_int', 'c_int16', 'c_int32', 'c_int64', 'c_int8', 'c_long', 'c_longlong', 'c_short', 'c_size_t', 'c_ubyte', 'c_uint', 'c_uint16', 'c_uint32', 'c_uint64', 'c_uint8', 'c_ulong', 'c_ulonglong', 'c_ushort', 'c_void_p', 'c_voidp', 'c_wchar', 'c_wchar_p', 'cast', 'cdll', 'create_string_buffer', 'create_unicode_buffer', 'memmove', 'memset', 'pointer', 'py_object', 'pydll', 'pythonapi', 'resize', 'set_conversion_mode', 'sizeof', 'string_at', 'wstring_at']
>>> 

That seems to have done the trick actually. __aix__ is in fact not defined on AIX 5.2 (cannot varify on 5.3) and removing the #ifdefs in the suggested file allows for a clean build:

~/Python-2.5 $ ./python
Python 2.5 (r25:51908, Nov 14 2006, 13:19:33) 
[GCC 2.9-aix51-020209] on aix5
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import ctypes
>>> dir (ctypes)
['ARRAY', 'ArgumentError', 'Array', 'BigEndianStructure', 'CDLL', 'CFUNCTYPE', 'DEFAULT_MODE', 'LibraryLoader', 'LittleEndianStructure', 'POINTER', 'PYFUNCTYPE', 'PyDLL', 'RTLD_GLOBAL', 'RTLD_LOCAL', 'SetPointerType', 'Structure', 'Union', '_CFuncPtr', '_FUNCFLAG_CDECL', '_FUNCFLAG_PYTHONAPI', '_Pointer', '_SimpleCData', '__builtins__', '__doc__', '__file__', '__name__', '__path__', '__version__', '__warningregistry__', '_c_functype_cache', '_calcsize', '_cast', '_cast_addr', '_ctypes_version', '_dlopen', '_endian', '_memmove_addr', '_memset_addr', '_os', '_pointer_type_cache', '_string_at', '_string_at_addr', '_sys', '_wstring_at', '_wstring_at_addr', 'addressof', 'alignment', 'byref', 'c_buffer', 'c_byte', 'c_char', 'c_char_p', 'c_double', 'c_float', 'c_int', 'c_int16', 'c_int32', 'c_int64', 'c_int8', 'c_long', 'c_longlong', 'c_short', 'c_size_t', 'c_ubyte', 'c_uint', 'c_uint16', 'c_uint32', 'c_uint64', 'c_uint8', 'c_ulong', 'c_ulonglong', 'c_ushort', 'c_void_p', 'c_voidp', 'c_wchar', 'c_wchar_p', 'cast', 'cdll', 'create_string_buffer', 'create_unicode_buffer', 'memmove', 'memset', 'pointer', 'py_object', 'pydll', 'pythonapi', 'resize', 'set_conversion_mode', 'sizeof', 'string_at', 'wstring_at']
>>> 

_AIX however, /is/ defined, so maybe s/__aix__/_AIX/g?

~/Python-2.5 $ cat <<. > test.c
> int main() {
> #ifdef _AIX
> return 0;
> #endif
> #ifndef _AIX
> return 1;
> #endif
> }
> .
~/Python-2.5 $ gcc -o test test.c
~/Python-2.5 $ ./test
~/Python-2.5 $ echo $?
0
~/Python-2.5 $ 

Hm, I was asking for '__ppc__', not '__aix__'.  Can you look for processor specific defines, please?

Please compile an empty file with "gcc -E -dD empty.c" to find out what defines are builtin.

I'm sorry, I meant __ppc__, it was the __ppc__ lines that I removed. As for PPC specific defines, I can't find any that work, but grepping around in /usr/include shows:

/usr/include $ grep -i powerpc *
aouthdr.h: * Defines for the POWER and PowerPC CPU Types 
aouthdr.h:#define TCPU_PPC      1       /* PowerPC common architecture 32 bit mode */
aouthdr.h:#define TCPU_PPC64    2       /* PowerPC common architecture 64 bit mode */
aouthdr.h:#define TCPU_COM      3       /* POWER and PowerPC architecture common */
aouthdr.h:                              /* and PowerPC architecture implementations */
aouthdr.h:#define TCPU_601      6       /* 601 implementation of PowerPC architecture */
aouthdr.h:#define TCPU_603      7       /* 603 implementation of PowerPC architecture */
aouthdr.h:#define TCPU_604      8       /* 604 implementation of PowerPC architecture */
aouthdr.h:#define TCPU_620      16      /* 620 implementation of PowerPC 64-bit architecture */
aouthdr.h:#define TCPU_A35      17      /* A35 implementation of PowerPC 64-bit architecture */
filehdr.h:/* IBM POWER and PowerPC */
frs.h:| -  rom_scan_R2_6002_block_t     (PowerPC devices)
frs.h:| -  rom_scan_R2_6003_block_t     (60x PowerPC devices)
frs.h:| The PowerPC 601 Bus has such characteristics.
frs.h:| that matches the PowerPC 60X Bus and PowerPC System Architecture
frs_60x.h:                      | as defined by PowerPC System ARch and unique 
frs_60x.h:|       PowerPC Feature/VPD Header
reloc.h: *      POWER and PowerPC - relocation types


I would love to send you a copy of the aouthdr.h, but I'm not sure if that would violate any licenses, so I will have to leave the rest to you guys to look for some definitive documentation as to how to detect ppc from defines.

Ohh, and before you ask (I forgot to mention): grepping for "ppc" (with -i) doesn't yield any more results.

memotype, can you please do what loewis suggested and report back:

> Please compile an empty file with "gcc -E -dD empty.c" to find out what
> defines are builtin.

It is very likely that the symbol we need is a builtin symbol of the compiler, and not a symbol defined in some of the header files.

Something like this?

~ $ touch empty.c
~ $ gcc -E -dD empty.c
# 1 "empty.c"
~ $ cat empty.c
~ $ 

Yes ;-), although I would have expected that 'gcc -E -dD empty.c' would have printed something.

Does 'touch empty.c; cpp -dM empty.c' print something?

What gcc version is this? In older versions, you have to do

gcc -v -c empty.c

and watch the verbose output.

/home/rvjif00 $ gcc --version
2.9-aix51-020209
/home/rvjif00 $ gcc -v -c empty.c
Reading specs from /opt/freeware/GNUPro/lib/gcc-lib/powerpc-ibm-aix5.1.0.0/2.9-aix51-020209/specs
gcc version 2.9-aix51-020209
 /opt/freeware/GNUPro/lib/gcc-lib/powerpc-ibm-aix5.1.0.0/2.9-aix51-020209/cpp -lang-c -v -iprefix /bin/../lib/gcc-lib/powerpc-ibm-aix5.1.0.0/2.9-aix51-020209/ -D__GNUC__=2 -D__GNUC_MINOR__=9 -D_IBMR2 -D_POWER -D_AIX -D_AIX32 -D_AIX41 -D_AIX43 -D_AIX51 -D_LONG_LONG -D_IBMR2 -D_POWER -D_AIX -D_AIX32 -D_AIX41 -D_AIX43 -D_AIX51 -D_LONG_LONG -Asystem(unix) -Asystem(aix) -D__CHAR_UNSIGNED__ -D_ARCH_COM empty.c /tmp/ccTtoObS.i
GNU CPP version 2.9-aix51-020209
#include "..." search starts here:
#include <...> search starts here:
 /opt/freeware/GNUPro/lib/gcc-lib/powerpc-ibm-aix5.1.0.0/2.9-aix51-020209/include
 /usr/include
End of search list.
The following default directories have been omitted from the search path:
 /opt/freeware/GNUPro/lib/gcc-lib/powerpc-ibm-aix5.1.0.0/2.9-aix51-020209/../../../../include/g++-3
 /opt/freeware/GNUPro/include
 /opt/freeware/GNUPro/lib/gcc-lib/powerpc-ibm-aix5.1.0.0/2.9-aix51-020209/../../../../powerpc-ibm-aix5.1.0.0/include
End of omitted list.
 /opt/freeware/GNUPro/lib/gcc-lib/powerpc-ibm-aix5.1.0.0/2.9-aix51-020209/cc1 /tmp/ccTtoObS.i -quiet -dumpbase empty.c -version -o /tmp/cc28GcTD.s
GNU C version 2.9-aix51-020209 (powerpc-ibm-aix5.1.0.0) compiled by GNU C version 2.9-aix51-020209.
 as -u -mcom -o empty.o /tmp/cc28GcTD.s

This bug should be fixed now in SVN rev 52855 (trunk) and rev 52856 (release25-maint branch).

Thanks.