when running testsuite in a clean environment without pre-installed system python, test_distutils fail in test_build_ext, test_get_outputs:
/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/4.5/../../../../x86_64-suse-linux/bin/ld: cannot find -lpython2.6
LinkError: command 'gcc' failed with exit status 1

full traceback is below.

this is most likely caused by change in r72637:
http://svn.python.org/view/python/branches/release26-maint/Lib/distutils/tests/test_build_ext.py?r1=72637&r2=72636&pathrev=72637
this changes compiler's working directory, so that it can no longer find libpython2.6.so with "-L."
(related to issue 6022 - the comments there point it out)

not sure about proper fix - personally, i don't care much about leaving one more file in builddir, whereas i do care about tests passing in clean env, so for SUSE i'm reverting r72637


full traceback:

test_distutils
/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/4.5/../../../../x86_64-suse-linux/bin/ld: cannot find -lpython2.6
collect2: ld returned 1 exit status
test test_distutils failed -- Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/src/packages/BUILD/Python-2.6.5/Lib/distutils/tests/test_build_ext.py", line 261, in test_get_outputs
    cmd.run()
  File "/usr/src/packages/BUILD/Python-2.6.5/Lib/distutils/command/build_ext.py", line 340, in run
    self.build_extensions()
  File "/usr/src/packages/BUILD/Python-2.6.5/Lib/distutils/command/build_ext.py", line 449, in build_extensions
    self.build_extension(ext)
  File "/usr/src/packages/BUILD/Python-2.6.5/Lib/distutils/command/build_ext.py", line 531, in build_extension
    target_lang=language)
  File "/usr/src/packages/BUILD/Python-2.6.5/Lib/distutils/ccompiler.py", line 769, in link_shared_object
    extra_preargs, extra_postargs, build_temp, target_lang)
  File "/usr/src/packages/BUILD/Python-2.6.5/Lib/distutils/unixccompiler.py", line 259, in link
    raise LinkError, msg
LinkError: command 'gcc' failed with exit status 1

I am having the exact same problem with test_distutils failing on a clean env. Did reverting the changes in r72637 fix your problem?

yes, reverting r72637 fixes this problem for me

it reintroduces the original bug (there is some temporary file left behind), but i don't care about that

Dylan, what is your platform ?

The only difference is that the test chdir in a new temporary directory.

Could anyone trace the test to step into the linker call to see its error output ? (can't reproduce here)

Tarek,
the error output is this:
/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/4.5/../../../../x86_64-suse-linux/bin/ld: cannot find -lpython2.6

the chdir is the problem - because in an environment where you don't have an existing Python installation, you will not find -lpython2.6.

the linker from unixccompiler.py:link() is this:
['gcc', '-pthread', '-shared', '/tmp/pythontest_eosQ1d/tempt/tmp/tmphIMDH2/foo.o', '-L.', '-lpython2.6', '-o', '/tmp/tmppAsk00/foo.so']

and since you're in new temporary directory, -L. does not include libpython2.6 (unless you copy it in that directory or change -L. to the right place)

This may be solved by backporting the fix in #10126.  I’ll do it when my network gives me access to svn again :/

Marking as duplicate, following Barry in msg119022