GNUstep.org
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1. Machines

Below is a list of machines that people have attempted to compile GNUstep on. GNUstep compiles with little or no trouble on many of the more popular operating systems. Some machines marked with Unstable may have some trouble or may not work at all. Platforms marked Needs Testing are not actively tested by developers and need someone to help with reporting problems and fixes. Platforms marked Obsolete are very old distributions. No one really knows if GNUstep works on these although they may.

If you have compiled GNUstep on a specific machine, please send information about what you needed and any special instructions needed to GNUstep bug-gnustep@gnu.org.

1.1 Compilers  
1.2 Darwin/ix86 (Unsupported)  
1.3 Darwin/PowerPC (Supported)  
1.4 Debian/Alpha (Unsupported)  
1.5 Debian/i386 (Supported)  
1.6 Debian/em64t (Supported)  
1.7 Debian/PowerPC (Supported)  
1.8 Debian/SPARC (Release)  
1.9 FreeBSD 5.x (Supported)  
1.10 FreeBSD 4.x (Unsupported)  
1.11 FreeBSD 3.x (Obsolete)  
1.12 FreeBSD 2.x (Obsolete,Unstable)  
1.13 Gentoo/i686 (Supported)  
1.14 Gentoo/PPC (Supported)  
1.15 Gentoo/amd64 (Unsupported)  
1.16 Gentoo/alpha (Unsupported)  
1.17 Gentoo/sparc (Unsupported)  
1.18 Irix 6.5/MIPS (Unsupported)  
1.19 MacOSX/PowerPC (Release)  
1.20 MkLinux/PowerPC (Unsupported)  
1.21 NetBSD/i386 (Release)  
1.22 NetBSD/Sparc64 (Unstable)  
1.23 Netwinder (Unstable)  
1.24 OpenBSD 3.9 (Unsupported)  
1.25 OSF/Alpha (Needs Testing, Unstable)  
1.26 RedHat/Intel (Unsupported)  
1.27 Slackware/Intel (Unsupported)  
1.28 Slackware/Sparc (Splack) (Unsupported)  
1.29 Solaris 2.5.1/Sparc (Obsolete)  
1.30 Solaris 2.[678]/Sparc (Supported)  
1.31 Solaris 2.7/Intel (Unsupported)  
1.32 Suse 6.x/Intel (Obsolete)  
1.33 Suse/Intel (Supported)  
1.34 Suse 7.x/PPC (Unsupported)  
1.35 Unixware-2.1.3/Intel (Unsupported)  
1.36 Windows with CYGWIN (Unsupported)  
1.37 Windows with MinGW (Supported)  
1.38 Yellowdog/PowerPC (Unsupported)  

1.1 Compilers

A recommended compiler is listed for each machine, if known. You should try to use the recommended compiler for compiling GNUstep, as GNUstep is quite complex and tends provoke a lot of errors in some compilers. Even versions newer than the listed compiler may not work, so don't just get the latest version of a compiler expecting it to be better than previous versions.

Compiler notes: If a recommended compiler is not listed, take note of the following information before choosing the compiler you use.

egcs or gcc < 2.95
Most likely will not work and is not supported.
gcc 2.95.x
Support for this compiler is deprecated as of Aug 2006. Mostly likely it will work in the near future and bug fixes will be accepted, but any bugs are considered non-critical.
gcc 2.96
Not an official gcc release. Some versions (Redhat, Mandrake) have problems that prevent GNUstep from being compiled correctly and cause mysterious errors. Not supported.
gcc 3.0.x
A fairly good compiler. Recommended.
gcc 3.1
Several bugs where introduced in the version. It's probably better to avoid this one, although it might work fine.
gcc 3.2.x
Pretty good. Recommended.
gcc 3.3.x
Recommended. Fixes some bugs relating to protocols as well as other improvements.
gcc 3.4.x
Recommended. The #import directive is no longer deprecated as of this version of the compiler.
gcc 4.0
Probably OK. Did start triggering compiler errors on parts of base, but there has been a workaround in base for that. Does not work on MacOSX.
gcc 4.0.1
Probably OK. This version should work on MacOSX.

If your having mysterious trouble with a machine, try compiling GNUstep without optimization. Particularly in the newer GCC compilers, optimization can break some code. The easiest way to do this is when configuring, CFLAGS="" ./configure. Or when building, make OPTFLAG="".

Also if you manually upgraded gcc and/or make, we recommend reading the documentation at http://www.LinuxFromScratch.org for tips on compiling and installing gcc and make. If you had GNUstep previously installed, make sure you completely remove all of it, including installed init scripts.

Support Notes:

Supported
Regularly used and tested by developers
Release
Tested before a release
Unsupported
Not regularly used or tested
Unstable
Has problems either building or running GNUstep or requires special setp procedures to run correctly.

1.2 Darwin/ix86 (Unsupported)

Currently tested on Darwin 7.x

Recommended compiler
gcc 3.3.2 or greater 3.3.* versions. Older versions will not compile on Darwin and 3.4.* versions don't support GNU runtime compilation on Darwin currently (The GCC bug report is http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=11572).

Default compiler (Apple GCC) has unknown problems. Download the FSF GCC compiler and configure it with -enable-threads=posix. You don't need binutils or anything else. Use the GNU runtime. Make sure to add
 
export CC=/usr/local/bin/gcc (use the correct path to FSF gcc)
so that the correct compiler is found

Extra libs needed

Use ffcall because libffi hasn't been ported to Darwin x86.

Special Instructions

Read the README.Darwin file in the gnustep-make/Documentation directory for complete instructions.

1.3 Darwin/PowerPC (Supported)

This section is for building the complete GNUstep system. This system will not interact at all with Mac OS X/Cocoa. It uses different complilers, different display systems, etc. For building GNUstep extensions to be used with Mac OS X (for instance, if you want to build something based on GNUstep, such as GSWeb or GNUMail), see the MacOSX/PowerPC section.

Currently tested on Darwin 6.x, 7.x

Recommended compiler
gcc 3.3.2 or greater 3.3.* versions. Older versions will not compile on Darwin and 3.4.* versions don't support GNU runtime compilation on Darwin currently (The GCC bug report is http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=11572).

Default compiler (Apple GCC) has unknown problems. Download the FSF GCC compiler and configure it with -enable-threads=posix. You don't need binutils or anything else. Use the GNU runtime. Make sure to add
 
export CC=/usr/local/bin/gcc (use the correct path to FSF gcc)
so that the correct compiler is found

Extra libs needed
Use libffi (not ffcall). This should be enabled by default in gnustep-base so you don't have to type --enable-libffi. For 6.x, you need the dlcompat library (from www.opendarwin.org) to load bundles (not needed for 7.x).

Special Instructions

Read the README.Darwin file in the gnustep-make/Documentation directory for complete instructions.

See also the MacOSX/PowerPC section

1.4 Debian/Alpha (Unsupported)

1.5 Debian/i386 (Supported)

Tested on sid.

1.6 Debian/em64t (Supported)

Tested on 'unstable'.

1.7 Debian/PowerPC (Supported)

Tested on sid.

1.8 Debian/SPARC (Release)

Tested on sid.

1.9 FreeBSD 5.x (Supported)

Tested on 5.0, 5.1, 5.3

Special Instructions
Can install via /usr/ports/devel/gnustep, but not all required dependancies are installed. See the GNUstep-HOWTO for list of libraries.

For 5.3, there is a bug in libkvm that requires that /proc be mounted. Use 'mount_procfs proc /proc' or see the procfs man page.

1.10 FreeBSD 4.x (Unsupported)

Special Instructions
For gcc 3.0.4, make WANT_THREADS_SUPPORT=YES

For libxml2 2.4.24, make WITHOUT_PYTHON=YES

1.11 FreeBSD 3.x (Obsolete)

Compiles "out of the box" on FreeBSD 3.4.

Special Instructions
You need to use gmake not make to compile the GNUstep packages. A special port of gdb can be used with the Objective-C patches from ftp://ftp.pcnet.com/users/eischen/FreeBSD/gdb-4.17-port.tar.gz

The best compiler for GNUstep is the latest release of the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC). You can find it at http://egcs.cygnus.com/.

If you want to use the native POSIX threads support from `libc_r' pass --enable-threads=posix to configure. This is the recommended option as this is the FreeBSD threads package that gives the best results --with others you may be unable to run some examples like `diningPhilosophers'.

The whole compilation process can fail if you have another threads library installed so watch out for installed packages like `pth' and such. Besides the support for libc_r, GNUstep will also look for `pth' and `pcthreads', so if you have installed them and they aren't detected prepare to write a nice bug report.

This can be done more much easily by using the port version. Just cd to `/usr/ports/lang/egcs' and do a "make WANT_THREADS=yes install". Easy.

If configure cannot find tiff.h or the tiff library and you have it installed in a non-standard place (even `/usr/local'), you may need to pass these flags to configure: CFLAGS="-I/usr/local/include" and LDFLAGS="-L/usr/local/lib".

1.12 FreeBSD 2.x (Obsolete,Unstable)

Special Instructions
Only static libraries work on this system. Use /stand/sysinstall to install these packages if you have not already done so:

 
gmake           (GNU make)
gcc 2.8.x

Seems to compile ok, but some tests crash. Possibly due to a performace 'hack' in base. Might be a good idea to upgrade to FreeBSD 3.x. You need to use gmake not make to compile the GNUstep packages.

1.13 Gentoo/i686 (Supported)

Special Instructions
libffi sometimes causes odd problems. Try to use ffcall.

1.14 Gentoo/PPC (Supported)

1.15 Gentoo/amd64 (Unsupported)

32-bit mode only?

1.16 Gentoo/alpha (Unsupported)

1.17 Gentoo/sparc (Unsupported)

1.18 Irix 6.5/MIPS (Unsupported)

Recommended compiler
gcc 3.2.1

To use threads, it's necessary to bootstrap a compiler yourself: configure with --enable-threads=posix, that will work as long as you link EVERY objective C executable with -lpthread, no matter what warnings the irix linker produces!

Extra libs needed
Unknown

Special Instructions
If you cannot link the library because of the very low default limit (20480) for the command line length, then you should either use systune ncargs to increase the value (maximum is 262144) or link the library by hand. No libffi-support: Use ffcall

1.19 MacOSX/PowerPC (Release)

This section is for building the GNUstep extensions only. Use this if, for instance, if you want to build something based on GNUstep, such as GSWeb or GNUMail. If you want to build the complete GNUstep system independant of Mac OS X, see the Darwin/PowerPC section.

Currently tested on MacOSX 10.1.5, 10.2, 10.3

Recommended compiler
Default. For 10.1.5, you need to add -no-cpp-precomp to CFLAGS (For instance, ./configure CFLAGS="-no-cpp-precomp" ...)

Extra libs needed
None.

Special Instructions
Warning ! To know how to install a complete GNUstep system on Mac OS X, read the Darwin/PowerPC section. By default, on Mac OS X, only the GNUstep extensions are built. Read the README.Darwin file in the gnustep-make/Documentation directory for complete instructions.

To build the GNUstep extensions only is useful, when you want to build on Mac OS X, GNUstep related projects like gdl2, etc linked to Cocoa. Xcode project files exist, but they may not be up-to-date. Make sure /usr/sbin is in your path:

 
PATH=$PATH:/usr/sbin

Then type:

 
cd make
./configure --with-library-combo=apple-apple-apple
make install
. /usr/GNUstep/System/Library/Makefiles/GNUstep.sh
cd ../base
./configure --with-xml-prefix=/usr --disable-xmltest
make debug=yes install

On Mac OS X 10.1.5, there is no libxml. Either install libxml2 or configure base with --disable-xml.

See also the Darwin/PowerPC section.

1.20 MkLinux/PowerPC (Unsupported)

Tested with R2 RC2 (2004/03/04).

1.21 NetBSD/i386 (Release)

Tested on NetBSD 2.0.2 (2005/04/15)

Recommended compiler
Standard

Extra libs needed
libiconv(?), libffi

Special Instructions
Use NetBSD packages to install needed libraries. libffi either comes automatically with gcc or can be installed separately and works fine (over ffcall).

1.22 NetBSD/Sparc64 (Unstable)

Tested on NetBSD 2.0.2 (2005/04/15)

Recommended compiler
Standard

Extra libs needed
libiconv(?), libffi

Special Instructions
Use NetBSD packages to install needed libraries. libffi either comes automatically with gcc or can be installed separately and is prefered over ffcall which does not work on Sparc64 machines.

gdomap crashes. Perhaps other things do not work as well.

1.23 Netwinder (Unstable)

Recommended compiler
Build #12 of the system.

Extra libs needed
Unknown

Special Instructions
See http://www.netwinder.org/~patrix

1.24 OpenBSD 3.9 (Unsupported)

Information for version 3.9 (2006/08/13)

Ports at http://mail.rochester.edu/~asveikau/gnustep-openbsd/

1.25 OSF/Alpha (Needs Testing, Unstable)

Information is for Version 3.2C

Recommended compiler
Unknown

Extra libs needed
Unknown

Special Instructions
Can only compile with static libraries. Compiler may fail when linking executables (e.g. gdnc). Standard ranlib and ar programs are to feable to create libraries. Should use GNU binutils versions. Linker sometimes fails to find symbols, in which case you may need to link with a library twice. For instance, add an extra -lgnustep-gui in ADDTIONAL_TOOL_LIBS in the GNUmakefile(.preamble).

1.26 RedHat/Intel (Unsupported)

1.27 Slackware/Intel (Unsupported)

1.28 Slackware/Sparc (Splack) (Unsupported)

Tested with Spalck 8.0 (2005/03/01)

Recommended compiler
gcc 3.2, no extra options.

Extra libs needed
Unknown.

Special Instructions
Tested on an ultra sparc server, kernel 2.4.27, XF86-4.0.3

1.29 Solaris 2.5.1/Sparc (Obsolete)

This configuration is no longer being tested, but it may still work.

Recommended compiler
Unknown

Extra libs needed
tiff, Don't use the one in /usr/openwin

Special Instructions
See the Solaris 2.6 section for more instructions.

1.30 Solaris 2.[678]/Sparc (Supported)

Tested on Solaris version 6, 7, 8 and 9

Recommended compiler
gcc 3.2.1 or greater gcc 3.04. Not 3.1 - does not compile parts of GNUstep.

Extra libs needed
tiff, Don't use the one in /usr/openwin

Special Instructions

Using a POSIX shell (zsh or bash, which should come with Solaris) is highly recommended. In fact, some functions, such as compiling frameworks, will not work without it.

Some people have reported problems when using binutils assembler and linker. Using the native Solaris assmebler and linker should work fine.

Older Instructions: If you are using threads, make sure the Objective-C runtime (libobjc that comes with gcc) is compiled with threads enabled (This is true by default) AND that it is compiled with the _REENTRANT flag defined (This does not seem to be true by default). Or use the gnustep-objc package. Also make sure THREADS is set to 'posix' not 'solaris'.

1.31 Solaris 2.7/Intel (Unsupported)

Recommended compiler
Unknown.

Extra libs needed
Unknown

Special Instructions
Make sure there are no -g compiler flags (i.e. compiling with debug=yes might be a problem). Unsure of correct bundle flags - You might need to use the alternate flags listed in target.make, line 989. Also, configuring gnustep-make with `--disable-backend-bundle' might be necessary if you can't get bundles to work. You will probable get a lot of text relocation warnings, which probably can be ignored. See the other Solaris instructions above for more information.

1.32 Suse 6.x/Intel (Obsolete)

GNUstep has been tested on version 6.2-6.4 of Suse

Recommended compiler
Standard

Extra libs needed
None

Special Instructions
It seems that there is a problem with the default kernel build distributed with Suse which means that the socket binding used by gdnc doesn't work. If you recompile the kernel then it starts working.

1.33 Suse/Intel (Supported)

GNUstep has been tested on version 7.0, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 9.0, 9.1, 9.3, and 10.1 of Suse

Recommended compiler
The default compiler that comes with Susu is fine. Also gcc2.95.x, gcc3.0.x, 3.1 and 3.2 work, but 2.95 is faster. Compile with --threads-enabled (non-standard).

Extra libs needed
None

Special Instructions
Suse 10.1 does not work with the x11 backend.

1.34 Suse 7.x/PPC (Unsupported)

GNUstep has been tested on version 7.0 of Suse/PPC

Recommended compiler
Standard. gcc2.95.x, gcc3.0.x and gc3.1 work, but 2.95 is faster. Compile with --threads-enabled (non-standard).

Extra libs needed
None

Special Instructions

1.35 Unixware-2.1.3/Intel (Unsupported)

Recommended compiler
Unknown

Extra libs needed
Unknown

Special Instructions for GNUstep installation on Unixware 2.1 systems

1
Tune the kernel to increase the argument space so that we can pass long command-line argument strings to processes (which the makefiles do) (/etc/conf/bin/idtune ARG_MAX 102400)

2
Install raft of the latest GNU software

 
gzip            (you need this to unpack other stuff)
make            (to build everything)
m4              (for autoconf etc)
autoconf        (if you need to change anything)
bison
flex
binutils        (required by gcc if you want to debug)
gcc-2.8.1
                (configure --with-gnu-as --with-gnu-ld --with-stabs)
                NB. gcc-2.8.1 needs a fix to __do_global_dtors_aux()
                in crtstuff.c on Unixware 2.1.3
                (and possibly other unixware versions)
                The fix is already in recent versions of egcs.

 
==================================
static void
__do_global_dtors_aux ()
{
  static func_ptr *p = __DTOR_LIST__ + 1;
  static int completed = 0;

  if (completed)
    return;

  while (*p)
    {
      p++;
      (*(p-1)) ();
    }

#ifdef EH_FRAME_SECTION_ASM_OP
  __deregister_frame_info (__EH_FRAME_BEGIN__);
#endif
  completed = 1;
}
======================================

3
Having got gcc working - it's probably a good idea to rebuild all your GNU software using it!

4
Build gstep as normal.

5
The SIOCGIFCONF ioctl sometimes doesn't work on unixware after applying some of the OS patches.

So I have added a '-a' flag to gdomap to give it the name of a file containing IP address and netmask information for the network interfaces on the system.

You need to set up a file (I suggest '/etc/gdomap_addresses') containing the information for your machine and modify your system startup files in /etc/rc?.d to run gdomap, telling it to use that file.

eg. If your machine has an IP address of '193.111.111.2' and is on a class-C network, your /etc/gdomap_addresses file would contain the line

 
193.111.111.2 255.255.255.0

and your startup file would contain the lines

 
. /usr/local/GNUstep/Library/Makefiles/GNUstep.sh
gdomap -a /etc/gdomap_addresses

If you don't set gdomap up correctly, Distributed Objects will not work.

1.36 Windows with CYGWIN (Unsupported)

Recommended compiler
gcc 3.3.1 or later (with libobjc and libjava (if using libffi))

Extra libs needed
Objective-C library DLL (ftp://ftp.gnustep.org/pub/gnustep/windows/cygwin) for shared libs. It's a good idea to remove the libobjc.a that comes with gcc (gcc -v for location) so that it isn't accidentally found. For ffcall, you should get version 1.8b or above (the earlier ones don't compile). There are still some problems with structure passing, but that is generally not supported on any architecture. libffi also works.

Special Instructions

Make sure you have good shared libraries for everthing. Sometimes a bad shared library (like libtiff) will cause odd and untraceable problems. See README.Cygwin for information on compiling.

1.37 Windows with MinGW (Supported)

Recommended compiler
See below.

Extra libs needed
See below.

Special Instructions
See the README.MinGW file located in the gnustep-make Documentation directory for instructions. Windows NT/2000/XP only. Win98 machines and earlier are very buggy and are not supported. Native GUI backend is alpha version.

1.38 Yellowdog/PowerPC (Unsupported)

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