# Help with make error/compiling from source



## unibrow1990 (Mar 23, 2010)

I have been pulling my hair out all night over this.

So i need to install a package called SWIG on my fedora 12 box. Unfortunatly for me I need a specific version of that package: 1.3.38 or lower and the only version availible in the fedora repositories is 1.3.40 meaning I have to compile the older version from source.

So I download the source tarball for 1.3.38 and unpack it. Then, as I know next to nothing about compiling from source I open the INSTALL file and follow the step by step instructions, namely:
Step 1: cd to the directory of the unpacked tarball -- DONE
Step 2: run "./configure" -- DONE
Step 3: run "make" -- FAIL 

When I run the make command I get the following output:


```
[al@SNAFU-AJS swig-1.3.38]$ make
make[1]: Entering directory `/home/al/Downloads/swig-1.3.38/Source'
Makefile:191: *** missing separator.  Stop.
make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/al/Downloads/swig-1.3.38/Source'
make: *** [source] Error 2
```

Here is the area around the offending line in the makefile, I see nothing that looks untoward but then again I know precisely jack about makefiles:


```
186:    gifplot-library:
187:    	@echo $(ACTION)ing Examples/GIFPlot/Lib
188:   	@cd Examples/GIFPlot/Lib && $(MAKE) -k -s $(ACTION)
189:
190:    check-gifplot:				\
[B]191:[/B]	    check-tcl-gifplot			\
192:  	    check-perl5-gifplot			\
193:  	    check-python-gifplot			\
194:  	    check-java-gifplot			\
195:  	    check-guile-gifplot			\
196:  	    check-mzscheme-gifplot			\
197:  	    check-ruby-gifplot			\
198:  	    check-ocaml-gifplot			\
199:  	    check-octave-gifplot			\
200:  	    check-php-gifplot			\
201:  	    check-pike-gifplot			\
202:  	    check-chicken-gifplot                   \
203:  #	    check-lua-gifplot                  	\
204:  #	    check-csharp-gifplot                    \
205:  #	    check-modula3-gifplot
```
 

Is there something obviously wrong with the above makefile?
Is there something deeper wrong with how my system is set up?
Am I just a moron who missed something really obvious?

Please enlighten me if you are able, also let me know if you need any more information to help you solve the problem, I will gladly provide it.


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## 933k (Mar 23, 2010)

It seems like it is an artefact of broken support for mzscheme 

try the patch

http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&atid=301645&aid=2081967&group_id=1645

or try compiling with "--without-mzscheme."


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## unibrow1990 (Mar 24, 2010)

Thank you 933k, that solution worked perfectly.


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## 933k (Mar 24, 2010)

unibrow1990 said:


> Thank you 933k, that solution worked perfectly.



you're welcome


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## Killer_Rubber_Ducky (May 2, 2010)

unibrow1990 said:


> I have been pulling my hair out all night over this.
> 
> So i need to install a package called SWIG on my fedora 12 box. Unfortunatly for me I need a specific version of that package: 1.3.38 or lower and the only version availible in the fedora repositories is 1.3.40 meaning I have to compile the older version from source.
> 
> ...



When you run ./configure, you should keep an eye out for libraries that FAIL. Then install those libraries and run ./configure again to see if they PASS.
When they all pass, run Make and Make Install. Don't forget Sudo if in user mode.


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