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in reply to Re: How to install pp, Wx module in 64 bit windows7 system
in thread How to install pp, Wx module in 64 bit windows7 system

Error pop up window says: Unsupported 16-bit Application : The program or feature "Nmake.exe" cannot start or run due to incompatibility with 64-bit versions of windows.

That's as a result of CPAN (still!) stupidly insisting on installing an ancient and broken version of nmake that hasn't been usable to build perl for a decade or more:Fetching 'Nmake15.exe' from download.microsoft.com...

Unbelievable. Why not download a copy of dmake? I think the last time I tried, dmake can run a nmake syntax makefile since nmake is a very small subset of dmake's syntax.
  • Comment on Re^2: How to install pp, Wx module in 64 bit windows7 system

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Re^3: How to install pp, Wx module in 64 bit windows7 system
by BrowserUk (Patriarch) on Jul 14, 2012 at 17:36 UTC
    Why not download a copy of dmake?

    Personally, I think that would just muddy the waters. Whilst it would work for installing pure Perl modules, it would fall over again as soon as it requires a compiler. Better to simply not install anything, but rather point them at some url that will explain what is needed.

    The worst part of it is that it still does it even when you have a good version of nmake installed, because it insists of looking for it in some specific directory (/usr/bin or somewhere equally arbitrary and ridiculous). If it simple tried to invoke it and let the path find it, it would avoid breaking good installs.

    Of course, there is simply no point at all in downloading that ancient 16-bit tool that doesn't run under anything since 95/98/me, so I suppose dmake might get people started. You'd probably have to rename it to be nmake.exe though?


    With the rise and rise of 'Social' network sites: 'Computers are making people easier to use everyday'
    Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
    "Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
    In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.

    The start of some sanity?

Re^3: How to install pp, Wx module in 64 bit windows7 system
by syphilis (Archbishop) on Jul 15, 2012 at 03:13 UTC
    I think the last time I tried, dmake can run a nmake syntax makefile

    That doesn't work for me - in relation to building perl modules, at least. I get the error:
    dmake: Error: -- `c:\_32\perl_vc7\5.10.0\libConfig.pm' not found, and + can't be made
    ExtUtils/MM_Win32.pm caters for this difference with:
    sub init_DIRFILESEP { my($self) = shift; # The ^ makes sure its not interpreted as an escape in nmake $self->{DIRFILESEP} = $self->is_make_type('nmake') ? '^\\' : $self->is_make_type('dmake') ? '\\\\' : '\\'; }
    Cheers,
    Rob
      I often do a dmake clean by accident on a nmake makefile. It works without any fatal errors. I've never tried a dmake install on a nmake makefile.