How to make an XS module with a different C compiler?

mifflin has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

I have an XS module that I now need to use a the Sun Studio 8 compiler. How do I make xs use it?

My Makefile.PL looks like...

use ExtUtils::MakeMaker;

$acelib = '/opt/Ace750cRev1/postware/acelib';
WriteMakefile(
    'NAME'         => 'ACE',
    'VERSION_FROM' => 'ACE.pm',
    'LIBS'         => ["-L$acelib -lace"],
    'DEFINE'       => '-DSolaris64',
    'INC'          => "-I$acelib",
);
[download]

Building the Makefile...

erickn@isfe:/home/erickn/ACE> perl Makefile.PL
Checking if your kit is complete...
Looks good
Writing Makefile for ACE
[download]

Making the extention...

erickn@isfe:/home/erickn/ACE> make
cp ace_constants.pl blib/lib/ace_constants.pl
cp ACE.pm blib/lib/ACE.pm
/home/utils/perl/bin/perl /home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/ExtUtils/xs
+ubpp  -typemap /home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/ExtUtils/typemap -typ
+emap typemap  ACE.xs > ACE.xsc && mv ACE.xsc ACE.c
gcc -c  -I/opt/Ace750cRev1/postware/acelib  -I/home/utils/perl/include
+ -D_LARGEFILE_SOURCE -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -O    -DVERSION=\"3.00\" 
+ -DXS_VERSION=\"3.00\" -fPIC "-I/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4
+-solaris/CORE"  -DSolaris64 ACE.c
Running Mkbootstrap for ACE ()
chmod 644 ACE.bs
rm -f blib/arch/auto/ACE/ACE.so
LD_RUN_PATH="/opt/Ace750cRev1/postware/acelib" gcc  -G -L/home/utils/p
+erl/lib ACE.o  -o blib/arch/auto/ACE/ACE.so   -L/opt/Ace750cRev1/post
+ware/acelib -lace  
chmod 755 blib/arch/auto/ACE/ACE.so
cp ACE.bs blib/arch/auto/ACE/ACE.bs
chmod 644 blib/arch/auto/ACE/ACE.bs
Manifying blib/man3/ACE.3
[download]

As you can see it still uses gcc. However I want it to use the new Studio 8 compiler.
Both are available in my path...

erickn@isfe:/home/erickn/ACE> type gcc
gcc is /usr/local/bin/gcc
erickn@isfe:/home/erickn/ACE> type cc
cc is a tracked alias for /usr/local/studio8/SUNWspro/bin/cc
[download]

And my $PATH is...

erickn@isfe:/home/erickn/ACE> echo $PATH
/usr/local/studio8/SUNWspro/bin:/home/erickn/bin:/home/utils/perl/bin:
+/home/utils/perl/scripts:/v0/oracle/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/dt/bin:/usr/ope
+nwin/bin:/usr/ccs/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/ucb:/usr/bin/nsr:/usr/sbin/nsr:/
+usr/local/bin:/usr/local/scripts:/usr/local/mistools:/usr/lib:/opt/op
+enssh/bin:/opt/SUNWppro/bin:/usr/annex/bin/SUN/:/opt/vsifax/bin:/usr/
+local/SUNWexplo/bin:/usr/opt/SUNWmd/sbin:/opt/imagemagick/bin:.:/usr/
+local/oracle:/home/oramwh/scripts/forms_drivers:/prod/share/bin:/prod
+/dbadmin/util/bin
[download]

So, my questions are...
1. Why is it by default using gcc in /usr/local/bin ?
2. How do I make it use cc in /usr/local/studio8/SUNWspro/bin ?

Comment on How to make an XS module with a different C compiler? Select or Download Code

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: How to make an XS module with a different C compiler? by Fletch (Bishop) on Jan 18, 2005 at 00:52 UTC
The `Makefile` that ExtUtils::MakeMaker creates (and probably Module::Build as well, although I'm less familiar with it) uses whatever the Config module's `$Config{cc}` says use. This is whatever compiler was used to build your `perl` executable. You can probably override it with `make CC=/usr/local/.../cc` on the command line, but keep in mind that there's probably a whole can of monkeys hiding underneath waiting to bite you in the tuckus if the compilers don't play nice together (different link expectations, expecting different symbols to be defined in something like `crt0.o`, yadda yadda yadda).	[reply] [d/l]
Re^2: How to make an XS module with a different C compiler? by Errto (Vicar) on Jan 18, 2005 at 02:05 UTC
Regarding the monkeys, I haven't played with this much but I'm wondering: if this is true, should it not also be true that one can only safely compile XS modules using the same compiler and settings that Perl itself was built with on one's machine?	[reply]
Re^3: How to make an XS module with a different C compiler? by Fletch (Bishop) on Jan 18, 2005 at 03:57 UTC
It's not that you have to use the same compiler, it's just more likely that you're going to have problems if you don't. Just be sure to have bribes handy for your local C guru and/or sysadmin to get them to lay hands on things when they break.	[reply]
Re^2: How to make an XS module with a different C compiler? by mifflin (Curate) on Jan 18, 2005 at 01:56 UTC
So, are you telling me that if I have two vendors that I get libraries from and both will only give me the .so files and each choose to use a different compilier to build their product that I would not be able to use one installation of Perl to access them because I would have to choose one of those compiliers to build my Perl?	[reply]
Re^3: How to make an XS module with a different C compiler? by Fletch (Bishop) on Jan 18, 2005 at 03:53 UTC
Maybe yes, maybe no. It all depends on the OS, the compiler used, the phase of the moon. You may get lucky and figure out what flags are causing `cc` to choke (`-fpic` is a `gcc`-ism for instance that's causing problems in your output below). It's even worse with C++ though (there's no standard for name mangling, for example, so two different compilers can make completely different symbols in the output object for the same `int foo( char *bar, double& baz )`.	[reply]
Re^2: How to make an XS module with a different C compiler? by mifflin (Curate) on Jan 18, 2005 at 02:06 UTC
I tried your suggestion and I do get lots of errors. Are these the types of errors that will "bite me in the tukas" ? erickn@isfe:/home/erickn/ACE> perl Makefile.PL Checking if your kit is complete... Looks good Writing Makefile for ACE erickn@isfe:/home/erickn/ACE> make CC=/usr/local/studio8/SUNWspro/bin/ +cc cp ACE.pm blib/lib/ACE.pm /home/utils/perl/bin/perl /home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/ExtUtils/xs +ubpp -typemap /home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/ExtUtils/typemap -typ +emap typemap ACE.xs > ACE.xsc && mv ACE.xsc ACE.c /usr/local/studio8/SUNWspro/bin/cc -c -I/opt/Ace750cRev1/postware/ace +lib -I/home/utils/perl/include -D_LARGEFILE_SOURCE -D_FILE_OFFSET_BI +TS=64 -O -DVERSION=\"3.00\" -DXS_VERSION=\"3.00\" -fPIC "-I/home/ +utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE" -DSolaris64 ACE.c cc: Warning: illegal option -fPIC "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/perlio.h", line 20 +9: syntax error before or at: __attribute__ "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/perlio.h", line 20 +9: warning: old-style declaration or incorrect type for: __attribute_ +_ "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/perlio.h", line 20 +9: warning: syntax error: empty declaration "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/perlio.h", line 26 +9: syntax error before or at: __attribute__ "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/perlio.h", line 26 +9: warning: old-style declaration or incorrect type for: __attribute_ +_ "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/perlio.h", line 26 +9: identifier redefined: __attribute__ current : function() returning int previous: function() returning int : "/home/utils/perl/lib/per +l5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/perlio.h", line 209 "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/perlio.h", line 26 +9: warning: syntax error: empty declaration "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/perlio.h", line 27 +3: syntax error before or at: __attribute__ "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/perlio.h", line 27 +3: warning: old-style declaration or incorrect type for: __attribute_ +_ "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/perlio.h", line 27 +3: identifier redefined: __attribute__ current : function() returning int previous: function() returning int : "/home/utils/perl/lib/per +l5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/perlio.h", line 269 "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/perlio.h", line 27 +3: warning: syntax error: empty declaration "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/proto.h", line 98: + syntax error before or at: __attribute__ "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/proto.h", line 98: + warning: old-style declaration or incorrect type for: __attribute__ "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/proto.h", line 98: + identifier redefined: __attribute__ current : function() returning int previous: function() returning int : "/home/utils/perl/lib/per +l5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/perlio.h", line 273 "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/proto.h", line 102 +: warning: syntax error: empty declaration "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/proto.h", line 103 +: syntax error before or at: __attribute__ "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/proto.h", line 103 +: warning: old-style declaration or incorrect type for: __attribute__ "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/proto.h", line 103 +: identifier redefined: __attribute__ current : function() returning int previous: function() returning int : "/home/utils/perl/lib/per +l5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/proto.h", line 98 "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/proto.h", line 103 +: warning: syntax error: empty declaration "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/proto.h", line 503 +: syntax error before or at: __attribute__ "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/proto.h", line 503 +: warning: old-style declaration or incorrect type for: __attribute__ "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/proto.h", line 503 +: identifier redefined: __attribute__ current : function() returning int previous: function() returning int : "/home/utils/perl/lib/per +l5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/proto.h", line 103 "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/proto.h", line 503 +: warning: syntax error: empty declaration "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/proto.h", line 504 +: syntax error before or at: __attribute__ "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/proto.h", line 504 +: warning: old-style declaration or incorrect type for: __attribute__ "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/proto.h", line 504 +: identifier redefined: __attribute__ current : function() returning int previous: function() returning int : "/home/utils/perl/lib/per +l5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/proto.h", line 503 "/home/utils/perl/lib/perl5/5.8.0/sun4-solaris/CORE/proto.h", line 504 +: warning: syntax error: empty declaration cc: acomp failed for ACE.c *** Error code 2 make: Fatal error: Command failed for target `ACE.o' [download]	[reply] [d/l]
Re: How to make an XS module with a different C compiler? by gellyfish (Monsignor) on Jan 18, 2005 at 09:44 UTC
If your Perl was built with gcc then you almost certainly want to use gcc to compile the extension, the dynamic libraries (.so files) should work anyway but there will be a strong chance the different compilers will have different symbols and use a different C Runtime library - this can cause problems when building extensions even with different versions of the same compiler (see for example http://www.mail-archive.com/perl5-porters@perl.org/msg84195.html. I would recommend trying to get this work with gcc (does `make test` give any errors?) and only then attempt to use a different compiler. /J\	[reply] [d/l]
Re^2: How to make an XS module with a different C compiler? by mifflin (Curate) on Jan 18, 2005 at 18:24 UTC
Do you see any gotchas if I decided to rebuild my current Perl installtion with the Sun Studio 8 compiler? Would I then have problems adding other XS modules like DBI, DBD::Oracle, XML::Parser ...?	[reply]
Re^3: How to make an XS module with a different C compiler? by gellyfish (Monsignor) on Jan 19, 2005 at 09:09 UTC
In general no, I think you should be alright using the Sun compiler. If you have a number of modules already installed you might want to run `cpan autobundle` before you trash your old Perl. /J\	[reply] [d/l]


more useful options
	PerlMonks