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GeezerVison is showing github.com — configure: --with-dbmliborder=gdbm doesn't find gdbm_compat when its header is <ndbm.h> · Issue #159230 · python/cpython

configure: --with-dbmliborder=gdbm doesn't find gdbm_compat when its header is <ndbm.h> #159230

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configure: --with-dbmliborder=gdbm doesn't find gdbm_compat when its header is <ndbm.h>#159230
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buildThe build process and cross-buildThe build process and cross-buildtype-bugAn unexpected behavior, bug, or errorAn unexpected behavior, bug, or error

Description

@furkanonder
furkanonder
opened on Oct 12, 2026
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Bug report

I hit this on Arch. gdbm installs its ndbm compatibility header as /usr/include/ndbm.h and ships neither gdbm/ndbm.h nor gdbm-ndbm.h.

$ pacman -Qo /usr/include/ndbm.h
/usr/include/ndbm.h is owned by gdbm 1.26-2.1
$ ls /usr/include/gdbm/ndbm.h /usr/include/gdbm-ndbm.h
ls: cannot access '/usr/include/gdbm/ndbm.h': No such file or directory
ls: cannot access '/usr/include/gdbm-ndbm.h': No such file or directory
$ ./configure --with-dbmliborder=gdbm
checking for ndbm presence and linker args... yes (-lgdbm_compat)
checking whether ndbm.h is provided by gdbm... yes
checking for gdbm/ndbm.h... no
checking for gdbm-ndbm.h... no
checking for --with-dbmliborder... gdbm
checking for _dbm module CFLAGS and LIBS...
checking for stdlib extension module _dbm... missing
>>> import dbm.ndbm
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named '_dbm'

Asking for ndbm on the same machine gets me gdbm's compatibility layer:

$ ./configure --with-dbmliborder=ndbm
checking for _dbm module CFLAGS and LIBS... -DUSE_NDBM -lgdbm_compat -lgdbm
>>> dbm.ndbm.library
'GNU gdbm'

CPython versions tested on:

3.16, CPython main branch

Operating systems tested on:

Linux

Linked PRs

  • gh-159230: Fix --with-dbmliborder=gdbm when gdbm's ndbm header is ndbm.h #159231

Activity

  1. furkanonder
    added
    type-bugAn unexpected behavior, bug, or errorAn unexpected behavior, bug, or error
    buildThe build process and cross-buildThe build process and cross-build
    on Oct 12, 2026

  2. furkanonder commented on Oct 12, 2026

    @furkanonder
    furkanonder
    on Oct 12, 2026
    ContributorAuthor
    More actions

    CC: @serhiy-storchaka

  3. kevinprimeraquecreo-stack
    added this to Project_VKon Oct 18, 2026
  4. github-project-automation
    moved this to Todo in Project_VKon Oct 18, 2026
  5. kevinprimeraquecreo-stack
    added this to Project_VKon Oct 18, 2026
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    buildThe build process and cross-buildThe build process and cross-buildtype-bugAn unexpected behavior, bug, or errorAn unexpected behavior, bug, or error

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