This archive contains answers to questions sent to Unidata support through mid-2025. Note that the archive is no longer being updated. We provide the archive for reference; many of the answers presented here remain technically correct, even if somewhat outdated. For the most up-to-date information on the use of NSF Unidata software and data services, please consult the Software Documentation first.
>To: address@hidden >From: "Timothy E. Dowling" <address@hidden> >Subject: netCDF C - RedHat Linux 9.0 - Waiting for __ctype_b error >fix/workaround for RedHat 9 >Organization: Comparative Planetology Laboratory >Keywords: 200307211429.h6LET8RI001842 Final resolution of the problem ... ------- Forwarded Message Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2003 12:25:37 -0400 From: "Timothy E. Dowling" <address@hidden> To: Russ Rew <address@hidden> Subject: Re: 20030721:netCDF C - RedHat Linux 9.0 _ctype_b error fix/workaround for RedHat 9 Russ, I fixed my linking-before-installing problem with netcdf, which caused the __ctype_b error when switching from Red Hat 8 to 9 (it was linking to the old netcdf/lib/libnetcdf.a), by changing the target "all:" in my model's top makefile to have for the netcdf part ... \ make; \ make install instead of just ... \ make I left the target "install:" to have "make install" for the netcdf part, which might be redundant but seems harmless. I understand your reasons why "make distclean" shouldn't clear out netcdf/lib in general. For my case, I've added this clear-out to my makefile to avoid obscure "__ctype_b" type errors in the future; instead, I'll now get an "cannot find -lnetcdf" error, which will hopefully be less mysterious. Sincerely, Tim Dowling > Tim, > > Thanks for the update on the problem. > > ... > >>I notice that netcdf's 'make distclean' does not empty the >>contents of netcdf/lib. I think this may be a contributing factor >>to the obscurity of the problem, because >>the __ctype_b error would be a different error if netcdf/lib got emptied >>by 'make distclean,' potentially one that is less of a red herring. >>For me, it would have been the 'cannot find -lnetcdf' error above. > > > Although it might have made the problem you are seeing easier to > diagnose, I don't think 'make distclean' should empty the netcdf/lib/ > directory, because: > > - As distributed, there is no netcdf/lib directory. It may be > created as the result of 'make install', or it may be created > somewhere else as the result of the value of the --prefix argument > to the configure script when 'make install' later runs. > > - If 'make distclean' removes a working older library but the > subsequent build fails to create an updated library for some > reason, the attempt to update would have broken the environment for > existing applications linking to the older library. > > Ultimately, we want to convert netCDF to use the new > autoconf/automake/libtool suite, which will create Makefiles that 'do > the right thing'. > > --Russ > -- Prof. Timothy E. Dowling, Director office: (502) 852-3927 Comparative Planetology Laboratory fax: (502) 852-6053 200 Sackett Hall email: address@hidden University of Louisville URL: www.louisville.edu/research/cpl Louisville, KY 40292 ------- End of Forwarded Message