[Numpy-discussion] /usr/bin/xlf: 1501-210 command option NO_ATLAS_INFO=1 contains an incorrect subargument

[Hans-Joachim Ehlers]

Given:
scipy-0.6.4
numpy 1.0.4
python 2.5.1
AIX 5.3
xlc v8
xlf v10
essel 4.2
lapack 3.1.1 with CCI


Problem:
During the scipy build - python setyp.py build  - the following error shows up:
....
building 'scipy.lib.blas.fblas' extension
compiling C sources
C compiler: cc_r -DNDEBUG -O2 -qmaxmem=-1

compile options: '-DNO_ATLAS_INFO=1 -Ibuild/src.aix-5.3-2.5 -I/usr/local/lib/python2.5/site-packages/numpy/core/include -I/usr/local/include/python2.5 -c'
compiling Fortran sources
Fortran f77 compiler: /usr/bin/xlf -qextname -O5
Fortran f90 compiler: /usr/bin/xlf90 -qextname -O5
Fortran fix compiler: /usr/bin/xlf90 -qfixed -qextname -O5
compile options: '-DNO_ATLAS_INFO=1 -Ibuild/src.aix-5.3-2.5 -I/usr/local/lib/python2.5/site-packages/numpy/core/include -I/usr/local/include/python2.5 -c'
xlf:f77: build/src.aix-5.3-2.5/build/src.aix-5.3-2.5/scipy/lib/blas/fblas-f2pywrappers.f
/usr/bin/xlf: 1501-210 command option NO_ATLAS_INFO=1 contains an incorrect subargument
/usr/bin/xlf: 1501-210 command option NO_ATLAS_INFO=1 contains an incorrect subargument
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
error: Command "/usr/bin/xlf -qextname -O5 -DNO_ATLAS_INFO=1 -Ibuild/src.aix-5.3-2.5 -I/usr/local/lib/python2.5/site-packages/numpy/core/include -I/usr/local/include/python2.5 -c -c build/src.aix-5.3-2.5/build/src.aix-5.3-2.5/scipy/lib/blas/fblas-f2pywrappers.f -o build/temp.aix-5.3-2.5/build/src.aix-5.3-2.5/build/src.aix-5.3-2.5/scipy/lib/blas/fblas-f2pywrappers.o" failed with exit status 40
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

I found a reference regarding the IBM XLF  compiler running on mac
http://projects.scipy.org/pipermail/scipy-user/2004-May/002884.html 

where Pearu says:
... it turns out  that -D/-U options to xlf compiler are not for defining cpp macros...

The following information from the xlf Compiler says regarding the -D option :
...
-D     Specifies whether the compiler compiles fixed
                source form lines with a D in column 1 or treats
                them as comments. Please note that in order to pass
                C-style -D macro definitions to the C preprocessor
                (e.g. compiling a file that ends with .F) use the
                -W option. For example:
                -WF,-DDEFINE_THIS
                -D is the short form of -qdlines
...
-U     Makes the compiler case-sensitive to identifier
                names. By default the compiler interprets all names
                as if they were lower-case.

Solution: 
Changeing the Command line from :
/usr/bin/xlf -qextname -O5 -DNO_ATLAS_INFO=1 ....../fblas-f2pywrappers.o
to 
/usr/bin/xlf -qextname -O5 -WF,-DNO_ATLAS_INFO=1 .... /fblas-f2pywrappers.o

allowed the command line to succed without an error. But i do not know if the -WF,DNO_ATLAS_INFO=1 will change the program logic nor where to change ( in case the -WF, is the solution ) this permanently.
The only reference i found regarding -DNO_ATLAS_INFO=1 was within the file: ../site-packages/numpy/distutils/system_info.py

tia
Hajo