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Hi Python Developers,
Our install of Python 2.6.4 on AIX 5.3 seems to have problems finding modules
when invoked via a symlink. A direct path to the binary will work. One symlink
will work, but another will not. I created a test harness to demonstrate this
issue and collect (hopefully) useful output.
Regards,
-Randy Galbraith
ps. Thanks for making such a great tool available!
--test script--
#!/bin/sh
ACTUAL_BINARY=/mypath/tool/Python-2.6.4/powerpc-AIX5.3/bin/python
FIRST_SYMLINK=/mypath/tool/bin/python
SECOND_SYMLINK=/mypath/tool/powerpc-AIX5.3/bin/python
set -x
echo
echo "Actual binary..."
ls -ld $ACTUAL_BINARY
echo
echo "First symlink..."
ls -ld $FIRST_SYMLINK
echo
echo "Second symlink..."
ls -ld $SECOND_SYMLINK
echo
echo "Run with actual binary is good..."
$ACTUAL_BINARY -m py_compile test.py
echo
echo "Run with first symlink is bad..."
$FIRST_SYMLINK -m py_compile test.py
echo
echo "Run with second symlink is good..."
$SECOND_SYMLINK -m py_compile test.py
set +x
echo
echo "Analysis..."
truss $ACTUAL_BINARY -m py_compile test.py 2>truss_binary.log
truss $FIRST_SYMLINK -m py_compile test.py 2>truss_symlink1.log
truss $SECOND_SYMLINK -m py_compile test.py 2>truss_symlink2.log
echo
echo "runpy is found..."
grep runpy truss_binary.log
echo
echo "runpy is not found..."
grep runpy truss_symlink1.log
echo
echo "runpy is found..."
grep runpy truss_symlink2.log
--end test script--
--terminal output--
$ ./test_script.sh
+ echo
+ echo Actual binary...
Actual binary...
+ ls -ld /mypath/tool/Python-2.6.4/powerpc-AIX5.3/bin/python
-rwxr-xr-x 2 myuserid mygroup1 9727885 2010年02月25日 10:57 /mypath/tool/Python-2.6.4/powerpc-AIX5.3/bin/python
+ echo
+ echo First symlink...
First symlink...
+ ls -ld /mypath/tool/bin/python
lrwxrwxrwx 1 myuserid mygroup2 44 2010年06月02日 17:16 /mypath/tool/bin/python -> ../../Python-2.6.4/powerpc-AIX5.3/bin/python
+ echo
+ echo Second symlink...
Second symlink...
+ ls -ld /mypath/tool/powerpc-AIX5.3/bin/python
lrwxrwxrwx 1 myuserid mygroup2 44 2010年06月02日 17:16 /mypath/tool/powerpc-AIX5.3/bin/python -> ../../Python-2.6.4/powerpc-AIX5.3/bin/python
+ echo
+ echo Run with actual binary is good...
Run with actual binary is good...
+ /mypath/tool/Python-2.6.4/powerpc-AIX5.3/bin/python -m py_compile test.py
+ echo
+ echo Run with first symlink is bad...
Run with first symlink is bad...
+ /mypath/tool/bin/python -m py_compile test.py
Could not import runpy module
+ echo
+ echo Run with second symlink is good...
Run with second symlink is good...
+ /mypath/tool/powerpc-AIX5.3/bin/python -m py_compile test.py
Analysis...
runpy is found...
statx("runpy", 0x2FF21168, 76, 0)		Err#2 ENOENT
open("runpy.so", O_RDONLY)			Err#2 ENOENT
open("runpymodule.so", O_RDONLY)		Err#2 ENOENT
open("runpy.py", O_RDONLY)			Err#2 ENOENT
open("runpy.pyc", O_RDONLY)			Err#2 ENOENT
statx("/mypath/tool/Python-2.6.4/lib/python2.6/runpy", 0x2FF21168, 76, 0) Err#2 ENOENT
open("/mypath/tool/Python-2.6.4/lib/python2.6/runpy.so", O_RDONLY) Err#2 ENOENT
open("/mypath/tool/Python-2.6.4/lib/python2.6/runpymodule.so", O_RDONLY) Err#2 ENOENT
open("/mypath/tool/Python-2.6.4/lib/python2.6/runpy.py", O_RDONLY) = 3
open("/mypath/tool/Python-2.6.4/lib/python2.6/runpy.pyc", O_RDONLY) = 4
runpy is not found...
statx("runpy", 0x2FF21188, 76, 0)		Err#2 ENOENT
open("runpy.so", O_RDONLY)			Err#2 ENOENT
open("runpymodule.so", O_RDONLY)		Err#2 ENOENT
open("runpy.py", O_RDONLY)			Err#2 ENOENT
open("runpy.pyc", O_RDONLY)			Err#2 ENOENT
Could not import runpy module
runpy is found...
statx("runpy", 0x2FF21178, 76, 0)		Err#2 ENOENT
open("runpy.so", O_RDONLY)			Err#2 ENOENT
open("runpymodule.so", O_RDONLY)		Err#2 ENOENT
open("runpy.py", O_RDONLY)			Err#2 ENOENT
open("runpy.pyc", O_RDONLY)			Err#2 ENOENT
statx("/mypath/tool/Python-2.6.4/lib/python2.6/runpy", 0x2FF21178, 76, 0) Err#2 ENOENT
open("/mypath/tool/Python-2.6.4/lib/python2.6/runpy.so", O_RDONLY) Err#2 ENOENT
open("/mypath/tool/Python-2.6.4/lib/python2.6/runpymodule.so", O_RDONLY) Err#2 ENOENT
open("/mypath/tool/Python-2.6.4/lib/python2.6/runpy.py", O_RDONLY) = 3
open("/mypath/tool/Python-2.6.4/lib/python2.6/runpy.pyc", O_RDONLY) = 4
--end terminal output--

Try upgrading to 2.6.6, 2.6.7 or 2.7.2. 
In any case, 2.6 is in security-fix only mode, so unless you have a problem with the most recent releases (2.7.2 or 3.2.2) this issue should be closed as out-of-date.