[SOLVED] Ftape-tools undefined reference errors

Elderking1986 · 02-24-2018, 10:17 PM

Hi,

I hope this is the right category.

I have an old 1994 era computer that's running Debian 1.3 with kernel 2.0.30 that I compiled myself. GCC version 2.7.2.1.

Yes, I know it's an old distribution and old kernel but I like messing with old computers and old hardware and I don't really want to put anything newer on it given this computers specs.

I'm trying to compile ftape-tools-1.09 but I'm running into an error that I know nothing about and I'm hoping someone here can shed some light and hopefully get me on the right track.

I downloaded the ftape-tools-1.09 source from here (incase someone wants to look through it. It's ftape-tools-1.09.tar.gz): ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-s...DEX.short.html

Here's the terminal output: https://pastebin.com/cFNwTcGq

If anyone needs anything else just ask. I get lost when these errors pop up during make.

I'd like to get it compiled and installed so I can format my tapes.

Thanks!

business_kid · 02-25-2018, 03:06 AM

Compiling on such an old box is difficult. You need to have libraries, includes or header files, and source from the period. You look to have broken that rule. It could be the toolchain (kernel headers, glibc, and glibc). Notably the kernel headers have changed position, GCC has been totally revised.

Try to come up with a specific lib or header it's complaining about. Fix that. Then try again. That's all you can do. Then repeat until you get fed up, until it compiles, or until you run out of options. If you run into a toolchain problem, I would advise you to give up.

Elderking1986 · 02-25-2018, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by business_kid

Compiling on such an old box is difficult. You need to have libraries, includes or header files, and source from the period. You look to have broken that rule. It could be the toolchain (kernel headers, glibc, and glibc). Notably the kernel headers have changed position, GCC has been totally revised.

Try to come up with a specific lib or header it's complaining about. Fix that. Then try again. That's all you can do. Then repeat until you get fed up, until it compiles, or until you run out of options. If you run into a toolchain problem, I would advise you to give up.

Thanks. I got it though, just not with that particular version. I went back to the site I linked to and downloaded ftape-tools-1.07 and I had no issues compiling that one once I installed sgml-tools from the Debian CD.

I'd still like to know what the actual issue was with the other version. Oh well.

I'll mark this as solved.

business_kid · 02-26-2018, 02:34 AM

The whole point of version numbers is that things change. You have to stick with stuff old enough to be compiled by your tool chain. It can be difficult to spot an error linked to glibc because it often doesn't return a file name.