Webmin Install Suggested Perl Modules Fail

Submitted by mdtiberi on Thu, 03/19/2009 - 19:15

I attempted to install one of the suggested Perl modules Authen::Libwrap from Webmin and encountered errors. The install script asks a number of questions that are answered along the way except for the last one:

(1) Africa
(2) Asia
(3) Central America
(4) Europe
(5) North America
(6) Oceania
(7) South America
Select your continent (or several nearby continents) []
Sorry! since you don't have any existing picks, you must make a geographic selection.

Possible endless loop in output detected!

Other than that each preceding step of the process is fine.

Status: 
Active

Comments

Submitted by sfbob on Sun, 08/02/2009 - 22:24

Hopefully this modified stream of consciousness journal helps with someone else getting this resolved. For me, lessons learned:

  • the tools are there
  • they work

But the error messages:

  • come from many components
  • are not all in the same format
  • are not all in the same place
  • may not all matter

Platform

CentOS 5.3 all updates current Virtualmin 1.480 GPL

Objective

Install twiki 4.3.1

Path to roadblock
Unpack app, install app in directory, configure files, run configuration script from browser
Configuration script noted missing Perl modules
Webmin > Others > Perl Modules > Suggested Modules
Noted missing modules highlighted in list

Problem:
Webmin > Others > Perl Modules > Suggested Modules
Attempted to install them, install failed due to no reply to 'Select your continent' request

Research
Found
Home » Forums » Support » Help! (Home for newbies)
https://www.virtualmin.com/node/9326
topic: Perl Modules Install Error
similar situation, author noted would record bug in bugtracker


Workaround: manually install at command line with
perl -MCPAN -e 'install Authen::Libwrap'

Went to find further discussion in bugtracker
couldn't find bugtracker, logged in, finally saw 'Issues' link figured out I had to be logged in to see it

Found issue logged as
Webmin Install Suggested Perl Modules Fail
Home » Webmin » Webmin Core » Issues
https://www.virtualmin.com/node/4197

Activities and Problems leading to resolution

Attempted to install suggested modules with command line
perl -MCPAN -e 'install Authen::Libwrap'
Got past 'Select Continent' question, but in the end this failed also
(Note re prior post, this is the last question if it is not answered and process detects a loop. When you do answer it there are more questions that follow. It seems that when you do get to answer this question it remembers the answer and does not ask it on subsequent runs.)
Got several errors, ncftpget and ncftp not found in PATH, ignored them and kept going

During attempt saw something about compilers flash past screen
Did not have gcc compilers installed,
yum -y install gcc

Webmin > Others > Perl Modules > Suggested Modules
Select only IO::Tty
Install successful

Webmin > Others > Perl Modules > Suggested Modules
Net::LDAP
Install failed

Webmin > Others > Perl Modules > Suggested Modules
Authen::Libwrap
Install failed

Took a break

Checked app configure script webpage again
Noted missing Perl module Unicode::MapUTF8
Webmin > Others > Perl Modules > Install Module > From CPAN, Named > […]
Scroll down, look for Unicode::MapUTF8, not there, however did find
[icon diskette] unicode
[icon folder] Unicode
[icon folder] unicode
[icon diskette] UnicodeCD
Let's try clicking on Unicode to the right of [icon folder], sure enough, opens list of folder contents
(must have had a mental block, diskette vs folder seems obvious in hindsight)
Scroll down, find
[icon diskette] Unicode::MapUTF8
Yeah! Click on name, then click on Install button


Read screen, find notice I was missing prerequisites and
BIG BUTTON labeled Fetching Missing Pre-Requisites
Good button, not only got prerequisites, but also Unicode::MapUTF8 module I was trying to install
Install succeeded

On a roll, got most modules done, attempted Authen::Libwrap, failed
Read messages in 'Compiling Module' section, noted text

Warning: this distribution contains XS files, but Module::Build is not configured with C_support.  P
lease install ExtUtils::CBuilder to enable C_support.


(complete with 'please' broken)
Copied ExtUtils::CBuilder from Compiling Module messages, went to Perl Modules page, pasted into 'From CPAN, named' box, click on Install button, success

Try Authen::Libwrap again, better progress but in Compiling Module section found
Error: Function definition too short '/ * EOF * /' in Libwrap.xs, line 32
However at end of page got message
Make, test and install of Authen::Libwrap successful.

Went to Webmin > Others > Perl Modules > Suggested modules
Yeah! Screen looks different, now reads
All of the following Perl modules recommended by Webmin are installed : Authen::Libwrap Authen::PAM DBD::Pg DBD::mysql DBI IO::Pty Net::LDAP Net::SSLeay Sys::Syslog

Result:
Virtualmin now has all recommended modules, now able to proceed with additional module installations for application.

Hope this helps