[Python] 2.3 Redhat 9 Tkinter IDLE

No, you don't have to edit Modules/Setup. _tkinter is built
automatically if you have the header files installed.
Because you have limited disk space. As a result of that, Redhat
decides not to install all header files by default. As a result of
that, you have to make an explicit choise as to what header files to
install.
Sorry, I don't have Redhat 9, so I don't know what the name of the
package is that contains the Tk header files. It probably has the
strings "tcl" and "dev" in their name.

I also don't know whether you installed the system from CD-ROM, DVD,
or via the network, so I can't give precise instructions as to what
media to insert into what slot.

It would be better if you reported the steps you have been doing, and
the problems you see.

Regards,
Martin

[root@/usr/lib/Python-2.3]# make
case $MAKEFLAGS in \
*-s*) CC='gcc -pthread' LDSHARED='gcc -pthread -shared' OPT='-DNDEBUG -g -O3 -Wall
-Wstrict-prototypes' ./python -E ./setup.py -q build;; \
*) CC='gcc -pthread' LDSHARED='gcc -pthread -shared' OPT='-DNDEBUG -g -O3 -Wall
-Wstrict-prototypes' ./python -E ./setup.py build;; \
esac
running build
running build_ext
building '_tkinter' extension
gcc -pthread -DNDEBUG -g -O3 -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes -fPIC -fno-strict-aliasing -DWITH_APPINIT=1
-I/usr/X11R6/include -I. -I/usr/lib/Python-2.3/./Include -I/usr/local/include
-I/usr/lib/Python-2.3/Include -I/usr/lib/Python-2.3 -c /usr/lib/Python-2.3/Modules/_tkinter.c
-o build/temp.linux-i686-2.3/_tkinter.o
/usr/lib/Python-2.3/Modules/_tkinter.c:96:2: #error "unsupported Tcl configuration"
/usr/lib/Python-2.3/Modules/_tkinter.c: In function `AsObj':
/usr/lib/Python-2.3/Modules/_tkinter.c:947: warning: passing arg 1 of `Tcl_NewUnicodeObj' from
incompatible pointer type
/usr/lib/Python-2.3/Modules/_tkinter.c: In function `FromObj':
/usr/lib/Python-2.3/Modules/_tkinter.c:1073: warning: passing arg 1 of `PyUnicodeUCS2_FromUnicode'
from incompatible pointer type
running build_scripts

That is the problem. Quoting from README:

Red Hat Linux: Red Hat 9 built Python2.2 in UCS-4 mode and hacked
Tcl to support it. To compile Python2.3 with Tkinter, you will
need to pass --enable-unicode=ucs4 flag to ./configure.

In this case "it is so difficult" because Redhat chose to hack Tcl.

HTH,
Martin

thank you Martin; that did it.

at least now the problem/solution is documented for people who:
A) are too lazy/impatient to read the README file (guilty)
B) think all their problems can be solved by searching groups.google.com (guilty
again)

RT