a ./configure script doesn't found 'locate'

[spermwhale_warrior]

I download Sparforte, a shell that permit writing script in somewhat a subset of Ada,
the strong statically typed language. I tried the version compiled for Freebsd. I guess there is a way to emulate it or run it directly, but I don't know yet.
Then I tried to compile the sources.
It said that it can't find 'glocate' or 'locate', despite it being here.
A clue ? Can I settle this by setting some variables to the exported environment ?
Sources : http://sparforte.com/downloads/sparf....5-src.tar.bz2
FreeBSD binary : http://sparforte.com/downloads/sparf...ebsd10.tar.bz2

[jggimi]

I don't use your OS. I don't know anything about the software you are attempting to use with your OS. However, I did a quick examination of the tarball.

• The INSTALL document states that for FreeBSD, glocate is a dependency.
• You stated above that this is installed.

The configure shell script executes the following test, which is apparently failing for you. If you cannot determine why through reading the code, and perhaps making these tests manually, then run configure with tracing turned on, such as:

$ sh -x configure

Good luck!

LOCATE="glocate"
echo -n "checking for locate ($LOCATE)... "
"$LOCATE" --help >/dev/null 2>/dev/null
if [ $? -ne 0 ] ; then
  echo "no"
  LOCATE="locate"
  echo -n "checking for locate ($LOCATE)... "
  "$LOCATE" --help >/dev/null 2>/dev/null
  if [ $? -ne 0 ] ; then
     echo "no"
     # freebsd 8 has different parameters
     "$LOCATE" thisisafakepatternbecausefreebsdlocatehasnohelp >/dev/null 2>/dev/null
  else
     echo "yes"
  fi
else
  echo "yes"
fi
if [ $? -ne 0 ] ; then
   echo "Could not run locate"
   echo
   echo "Locate is used by this script to ensure you have all the required"
   echo "software to build SparForte."
   echo
   echo "Please install GNU locate and run updatedb (as root)."
   exit 1
fi

[spermwhale_warrior]

the script is pretty simple, it does only seek for 'locate' or 'glocate'
Sorry but I don't know that much sh scripting, and when I type :
$ if [$? -ne 0]; then echo "non" else echo "yes" fi
it shows "bigger than" symbol, waiting other entries.
Sorry to ask such a thing, but what's the good syntax to enter the test manually ?
sh scripting is just so ugly, that's why I want to use Sparforte.

[jggimi]

The $? environment variable contains the return code of the last executed command.

Test 1:

Start with manually issuing a glocate command:

$ glocate --help

There are several possible outcomes. If you get this:

sh: glocate: not found

you will know that glocate is not installed in any of the directories listed in $PATH.

If you get any other output, then glocate has executed, and you need Test 2:

$ echo $?

The value echoed will be the return code from glocate.

sh scripting is just so ugly, that's why I want to use Sparforte.

You are attempting to port the application to NetBSD. Porting usually requires programming skills. In this case, you will need to understand why the locate test is failing, and make the applicable changes, either to the glocate installation configuration, or to this test.

[spermwhale_warrior]

Ok, but, hey , I wasn't complaining, just saying why I want it, to learn and labour less hereafter .
First, 'locate --help', send 127 as a status message, I don't know how it is interpreted,
but I change the first ' $LOCATE --help ' into ' locate /usr/. > /dev/null 2>&1 '
Manualy, consequently $? become 1
I can't run it manualy, but [ $? -ne 0] should meant "only zero". Without change, the result was 127, and now the test become [ 1 -ne 0 ] but it still echoes "no".
Need the return code be 0 for the test being false ?

[jggimi]

In the Bourne shell, a 127 return code means "command not found".

• Did you try $ glocate --help as I'd recommended?
• If so, what was the resulting output?
• Where is your GNU locate command installed?

With my OS, OpenBSD, the GNU locate tool is packaged with the findutils package and is installed in /usr/local/bin/glocate. This is what I get when I install findutils on my OS and then test glocate:

$ glocate --help
Usage: glocate [-d path | --database=path] [-e | -E | --[non-]existing]
      [-i | --ignore-case] [-w | --wholename] [-b | --basename]
      [--limit=N | -l N] [-S | --statistics] [-0 | --null] [-c | --count]
      [-P | -H | --nofollow] [-L | --follow] [-m | --mmap] [-s | --stdio]
      [-A | --all] [-p | --print] [-r | --regex] [--regextype=TYPE]
      [--max-database-age D] [--version] [--help]
      pattern...

Report bugs to <bug-findutils@gnu.org>.
$ echo $?
0
$

I also checked the version.

$ glocate --version
locate (GNU findutils) 4.5.11
Copyright (C) 2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

Written by Eric B. Decker, James Youngman, and Kevin Dalley.
$