Error when configuring gmp

Question

hope this is just a very simple question. Ok, here's what I've done: I wanted to install gmp under my Linux Ubuntu 11.10. I have both g++ and gcc on my system. So I downloaded the latest release from the gmp official site (gmp 5.0.2), extracted it and then, since I need the c++ gmp interface, I simply run:

./configure --enable-cxx

But it keeps working for a while and then prints out:

checking for suitable m4... configure: error: No usable m4 in $PATH or /usr/5bin (see config.log for reasons).

Did I do something wrong? Thank you very much!

Matteo

Solution 1

try sudo apt-get install m4 and rerun the ./configure

Solution 2

I know this was from 7 years ago, but Im looking at installing gmp5.1.3 from source on an older system right now. I noted the "funny output" checking for suitable m4... configure: error: No usable m4 in $PATH or /usr/5bin 5bin hunh? I though it was a typo, and it probably is. On line 27285 of configure script, there is ac_dummy="$PATH:/usr/5bin" that is a shell variable that the script then looks for and doesn't find. in the *nix default FHS, /usr/5bin doesn't exist.

the problem with ac_dummy="$PATH:/usr/5bin" is that the next few lines are a for loop searching the $PATH variable + /usr/5bin for m4. on my system, /usr/sbin is where the m4 files are located, and is not part of the default $PATH variable.

Fixes:

you could modify your $PATH variable to include /usr/sbin.

you could modify the configure script to say ac_dummy="$PATH:/usr/sbin"

you could wait 7 years for someone to file a bug report.

depending on age and support of your OS, sudo apt-get install m4 could also work.

Comments

[ev-br]

try sudo apt-get install m4 and rerun the ./configure

[Matteo Monti]

It worked! :) Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanks!

[rubenvb]

Zhenya: put that into an acceptable answer. SO isn't a forum.

[ev-br]

rubenvb: no problem, but is it that big of a deal.

[Shantanu Nandan]

after 6 years the comment helped me to solve my problem. Thank you @Stackoverflow

[Shantanu Nandan]

@Matteo Monti - For this question

[Shantanu Nandan]

@ev-br for the answer

[Shantanu Nandan]

Now with your help, i am able to proceed further

[j0h]

where is the m4 source? who makes it/ maintains it? what is m4?, also, is that a typo in the config file? I guess I better read that.