OT (slightly): build an up-to-date mod_perl development environmenton Windows

Hello,

if possible I try to develop on Windows, then deploy on Linux or Solaris
for production. This worked very well in the past with a self compiled
environment (VC6). But as some components are rather old by now I would
like to recompile with recent versions of apache, perl, mod_perl,
openssl and some DBI-drivers but I had some problems with apache 2.2.11.
I have VC6 with SP5 installed, plus the 2003 Platform SDK update from
Microsoft. Perl 5.10.0 and openssl 0.9.8k compile just fine but when it
comes to Apache 2.2.11 or 2.2.10 I get lots of errors in the APR part of
the build. 2.2.9 seems to be the last version that builds o.k.

My question is twofold: First, any ideas what might be going wrong? As
there are some (VC6?) compiled versions around, this should be possible.
Or, as second choice, what would be a good working combination of
precompiled versions? In the past I had tried XAMPP but had some
problems with DBI and openssl when adding modules that didn't come with
XAMPP. These problems were gone when I compiled everything myself and I
don't want them to come back. As I understand it (I am no C programmer)
it is important for some parts of the chain to be built with the same
compiler/same settings and as it seems impossible to get everything I
need from a single (binary-)source I keep trying to compile it myself.

Any recommendations?

Thanks
-Michael

p.s.: of course I can send the detailed error messages but the output is
quite long, so it might be better to send as PM on request.

Re: OT (slightly): build an up-to-date mod_perl development

On Mon, Apr 6, 2009 at 12:17 AM, Michael Lackhoff wrote:
> Hello,
>
> if possible I try to develop on Windows, then deploy on Linux or Solaris
> for production. This worked very well in the past with a self compiled
> environment (VC6). But as some components are rather old by now I would
> like to recompile with recent versions of apache, perl, mod_perl,
> openssl and some DBI-drivers but I had some problems with apache 2.2.11.
> I have VC6 with SP5 installed, plus the 2003 Platform SDK update from
> Microsoft. Perl 5.10.0 and openssl 0.9.8k compile just fine but when it
> comes to Apache 2.2.11 or 2.2.10 I get lots of errors in the APR part of
> the build. 2.2.9 seems to be the last version that builds o.k.
>
> My question is twofold: First, any ideas what might be going wrong? As
> there are some (VC6?) compiled versions around, this should be possible.
> Or, as second choice, what would be a good working combination of
> precompiled versions? In the past I had tried XAMPP but had some
> problems with DBI and openssl when adding modules that didn't come with
> XAMPP. These problems were gone when I compiled everything myself and I
> don't want them to come back. As I understand it (I am no C programmer)
> it is important for some parts of the chain to be built with the same
> compiler/same settings and as it seems impossible to get everything I
> need from a single (binary-)source I keep trying to compile it myself.

You're right that problems can arise when using components that were
compiled with different versions of VC++. There is a Win32 binary
version of Apache/2.2.11 available from
http://httpd.apache.org/download.cgi, which should be compatible with
ActivePerl. If you're having problems compiling the Apache server, the
mailing lists for either httpd (http://httpd.apache.org/lists.html) or
apr (http://apr.apache.org/mailing-lists.html) would be a good place
to report problems.

--
best regards,
Randy

Re: OT (slightly): build an up-to-date mod_perl development environmenton Windows

On 08.04.2009 05:46 Randy Kobes wrote:

> You're right that problems can arise when using components that were
> compiled with different versions of VC++. There is a Win32 binary
> version of Apache/2.2.11 available from
> http://httpd.apache.org/download.cgi, which should be compatible with
> ActivePerl.

Yes, I know but it doesn't have an up-to-date mod_ssl and after been
bitten several times from openssl-dll mismatch I didn't want to run the
risk again.
So I ended up reinstalling everything (VC6, SDK, MASM, tools...) in a
fresh Virtual Maschine and I was finally able to compile everything, so
I guess something was broken in my original environment.

> If you're having problems compiling the Apache server, the
> mailing lists for either httpd (http://httpd.apache.org/lists.html) or
> apr (http://apr.apache.org/mailing-lists.html) would be a good place
> to report problems.

Good point but as I said it is working now. And I hoped for some broader
info about what others are using to build their development environment
under Windows. Either for building it yourself (VC6, newer VC, Mingw,
perhaps even the Intel compiler?, which tools and additional libraries,
helpers? [nd]make?) or from ready made packages (XAMPP, apache.org
binaries, activestate, strawberry, others?) that do actually work well
together as a solid and well maintained mod_perl environment.

For the time being I answered it myself with still going the VC6 route
but since this is such an old compiler I am also looking for (proven)
alternatives to be prepared when this is becoming a dead end like it
seemed to be when I was unable to build apache 2.2.11 with it.

-Michael