[FSF-India] compiling XFree86-4 in debian

[harshu]

hi,
    i had faced this problem some time ago. i have attached the suggestions made on the ilughyd. hope that helps. i couldn't test it out as my machine crashed beyond recovery. 

regards
harsha

On Tue, Jun 12, 2001 at 07:41:11PM +0530, Jayan S R wrote:
> while compling XFree86-4 on Debian.
> 
> 
> Too many levels of symlinks aborting
> ...................... 
> Error make failed...
> ........ 
> 
> any ideas why this happens? or am I missing something.
> 
----------

hi,
   i was trying to compile XFree86 4.0.3. the result was this error.
    too many levels of sym links. what does this mean and when does this error occur ?

harsha
  

<snip>

make[3]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/work/xc/programs/oclock'
installing in programs/proxymngr...
make[3]: Entering directory `/usr/src/work/xc/programs/proxymngr'
+ install -c -m 0444 PM.h /usr/X11R6/include/X11/PM
+ install -c -m 0444 PMproto.h /usr/X11R6/include/X11/PM
install -c   proxymngr /usr/X11R6/bin/proxymngr
install -c -m 0444 pmconfig /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/proxymngr/pmconfig
install: /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/proxymngr/pmconfig: Too many levels of symbolic links                                           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
make[3]: *** [install] Error 1
make[3]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/work/xc/programs/proxymngr'
make[2]: *** [install] Error 2
make[2]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/work/xc/programs'
make[1]: *** [install] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/work/xc'
make: *** [install] Error 2

</snip>


--- bsd_linux <bsd_linux@yahoo.com> wrote:
> hi,
>    i was trying to compile XFree86 4.0.3. the result was this error.
>     too many levels of sym links. what does this mean and when does this
> error occur ?

This happens when one of your symlinks is directly or indirectly pointing
to itself.

Example:

>> ln -s file /tmp
>> ls -l /tmp/file
lrwxrwxrwx    1 prakashk prakashk        4 Apr  2 16:40 /tmp/file -> file
>> cat /tmp/file
cat: /tmp/file: Too many levels of symbolic links
>> namei /tmp/file
f: /tmp/file
 d /
 d tmp
 l file -> file
   l file -> file
     l file -> file
       l file -> file
         l file -> file
           l file -> file  *** EXCEEDED UNIX LIMIT OF SYMLINKS ***

As you can see, 'namei' shows where the circular reference is.

/prakash

> harsha
>   
> 
> <snip>
> 
> make[3]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/work/xc/programs/oclock'
> installing in programs/proxymngr...
> make[3]: Entering directory `/usr/src/work/xc/programs/proxymngr'
> + install -c -m 0444 PM.h /usr/X11R6/include/X11/PM
> + install -c -m 0444 PMproto.h /usr/X11R6/include/X11/PM
> install -c   proxymngr /usr/X11R6/bin/proxymngr
> install -c -m 0444 pmconfig /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/proxymngr/pmconfig
> install: /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/proxymngr/pmconfig: Too many levels of symbolic
> links
> [..snip..]


bsd_linux [Tue, Apr 03, 2001 at 12:18:05AM +0530]
> hi,
>    i was trying to compile XFree86 4.0.3. the result was this error.
>     too many levels of sym links. what does this mean and when does this error occur ?
> 
> harsha
>   

Looks like Ur installing over an existing installation by using 
'make install' Right. If so please rm or mv the existing installations
and then give it a try. I am sure it will work then on.

This problem occured to me when I tried installing xf 4.0.2 over my
3.3.6. And I did the same.

Bye

Raghuram Vijapurapu