git-annex/doc/bugs/building_on_lenny.mdwn

hi,

I am trying to build git annex on lenny.

I checked out the latest from git c88d4939453845efee04da811d64aa41046f9c11,
installed all the packages (some from backports) as required by dpkg-buildpackage

Then I get this:

	...
	mkdir -p build
	ghc -odir build -hidir build --make git-annex
	[ 1 of 19] Compiling Utility          ( Utility.hs, build/Utility.o )
	[ 2 of 19] Compiling GitRepo          ( GitRepo.hs, build/GitRepo.o )
	[ 3 of 19] Compiling GitQueue         ( GitQueue.hs, build/GitQueue.o )
	[ 4 of 19] Compiling TypeInternals    ( TypeInternals.hs, build/TypeInternals.o )
	[ 5 of 19] Compiling Types            ( Types.hs, build/Types.o )
	[ 6 of 19] Compiling Annex            ( Annex.hs, build/Annex.o )
	[ 7 of 19] Compiling Locations        ( Locations.hs, build/Locations.o )
	[ 8 of 19] Compiling UUID             ( UUID.hs, build/UUID.o )
	[ 9 of 19] Compiling LocationLog      ( LocationLog.hs, build/LocationLog.o )
	[10 of 19] Compiling Core             ( Core.hs, build/Core.o )
	[11 of 19] Compiling Backend.URL      ( Backend/URL.hs, build/Backend/URL.o )
	[12 of 19] Compiling Backend          ( Backend.hs, build/Backend.o )

	Backend.hs:114:50:
	    Not in scope: type constructor or class `SomeException'
	make[1]: *** [git-annex] Error 1
	make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/cstamas/tmp/git-annex'
	dh_auto_build: make -j1 returned exit code 2
	make: *** [build] Error 2
	dpkg-buildpackage: failure: debian/rules build gave error exit status 2

I will try to check the mentioned file for error, but I do not know how to program in haskell.

Thanks for your help! --[[cstamas]]

> Newer versions of ghc changed their exception handling types, and
> I coded git-annex to use the new style and not the old. gch6 6.12 will
> work. I do not think there is a backport available though. --[[Joey]]
>
> Ok, found and deployed a workaround. It is not tested. Let me know how it
> works for you. --[[Joey]]

>> I did a git pull and now I get:

	mkdir -p build
	ghc -cpp -odir build -hidir build --make git-annex
	[ 1 of 20] Compiling Portability      ( Portability.hs, build/Portability.o )

	Portability.hs:13:21:
	    Not in scope: type constructor or class `Exception'
	make[1]: *** [git-annex] Error 1
	make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/cstamas/tmp/git-annex'
	dh_auto_build: make -j1 returned exit code 2
	make: *** [build] Error 2
	dpkg-buildpackage: failure: debian/rules build gave error exit status 2

>> --[[cstamas]]

>>> Ok well, I'm not going to try to reimplement all of
>>> Control.Exception.Extensible so I've made it use it. You will have to
>>> figure out how to install that library yourself though, I don't know
>>> how to use cabal with such an old ghc. Library is here:
>>> <http://hackage.haskell.org/package/extensible-exceptions> 
>>> and I asked how to get it on stable here:
>>> <http://ask.debian.net/questions/how-to-get-haskell-extensible-extceptions-on-stable> --[[Joey]] 

>>>> I made some effort with cabal on lenny. I can install (and I did it) cabal
>>>> from squeeze as dependencies are ok. Then I installed extensible
>>>> exceptions, but it places it in some local dir that git-annex's installer
>>>> (or ghc itself) does not know about.
>>>>
>>>> Later I realized that *only* for the compilation ghc6 and its friends are
>>>> needed. So I built the package on my other machine running squeeze. Then
>>>> resulting deb packages cleanly installs on lenny
>>>> 
>>>> For me this is OK. Thanks! --[[cstamas]]

[[done]]