Python's making my head hurt...

[Christopher Schmidt]

On Sat, Jan 05, 2008 at 03:00:27PM -0500, Star wrote:
> Okay, I'm not a python coder, nor do I really desire to be yet...  I'm
> trying to run a system that uses Python pretty heavily, and while it's
> starting up, I'm getting an error just before it bombs...
> 
> The error is "ImportError: /usr/lib/python2.4/lib-dynload/cPickle.so:
> undefined symbol: PyUnicodeUCS4_DecodeRawUnicodeEscape"

I expect that this means that if you open python on the box in question
and do the following:

  $ python
  >>> import cPickle

You'll get the same error.

If that's the case, something is broken on your system. Since the
version of Python in Sid has been in testing since 2007-06-09, it seems
likely to be esoteric. 

Are you sure that this hasn't been modified by something? 

 $ debsums -c python2.4

Would tell you if it had...

When did you last apt-get update/upgrade? sid can be anything in the
past n years :) (Though if 'python' is python2.4 means it's post-sarge,
at least.)

> Can any python-guys/gals point me somewhere where I might find some
> more information?  Or perhaps help me with some ideas on writing a
> short test script that can help me duplicate/confirm that it's an
> error with the debian packaging?

Trying to import cPickle should confirm/deny this. Checking that the
package is up to date first is a good plan: dpkg --list python2.4 should
show version 2.4.4-6 if you're up to date. (2.4.4-3 on etch.)

Also, I'd highly recommend not using sid on a machine that you want to
be stable -- it's called 'unstable' for a reason...

Regards,
-- 
Christopher Schmidt
Web Developer
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 189 bytes
Desc: Digital signature
Url : http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/private/gnhlug-discuss/attachments/20080105/8e6466a2/attachment.bin