Item132: Unable to install extensions from configure

Can't install extensions on nextwiki.org from configure.

I added debugging to the install script for BuildContrib, then tried to install it. It fails with the message:

************************************************************
Could not load installer script from tools/extender.pl.

If this is a TWiki release prior to 4.2, please download the
latest version of the script from:

http://twiki.org/cgi-bin/view/Codev/ExtenderScript

and place it in the 'tools' directory below your installation
root (create the directory if necessary).

If this is TWiki 4.2 or later, the script is missing from
your installation, or may be broken.
************************************************************
Working directory was: /usr/home/twikifork.org
File error was: Invalid argument

"Working directory" is the result of Cwd::cwd. "File error" is $! immediately after the do 'tools/extender.pl'.

I looked at /usr/home/twikifork.org/tools/extender.pl as root, and it's there; but it appears that it can't be seen by the webserver user.

If you need to add more debugging to the install script, here's how:

1. modify trunk/BuildContrib/lib/TWiki/Contrib/BuildContrib/TEMPLATE_instal;er.pl as required
2. perl build.pl upload BuildContrib
3. try and install it

-- CrawfordCurrie - 10 Nov 2008 - 19:46

[gmc@dave BuildContrib]$ perl build.pl BuildContrib upload BuildContrib/lib/TWiki/Contrib/BuildContrib/build.pl not found at build.pl line 35. [gmc@dave BuildContrib]$

??

(disclaimer: never used buildcontrib before)

-- KoenMartens - 10 Nov 2008 - 21:30

Never mind, I'll let you learn about BuildContrib in your own time.

I fixed it. Turns out that perl on nextwiki.org refuses to 'do' that file, even when it is referenced using an absolute path. I added fallback code that open()s and reads the file, then evals the content (the theoretical function of 'do', in other words) and it works without errors.

-- CrawfordCurrie - 11 Nov 2008 - 11:05