Module import problem: _socket

[Tim Roberts]

Scott Kelley <kelleys at ucsu.colorado.edu> wrote:
>
>I just installed Python 2.1.1 on a machine running
>Slackware 3.5 (over Python 1.5.2) and I get the
>following error while importing some newly installed
>modules:
>
>  File "/usr/local/lib/python2.1/socket.py", line 41, in ?
>    from _socket import *
>ImportError: No module named _socket
>
>I can't find this module in the Python lib (naturally).
>Has anyone out there encountered a similar problem?

I ran into this exact same issue building Python 2.1.1 from source on a Red
Hat 6.1 system.  At Guido's suggestion, I'm trying to chase through
setup.py to find out why it decided not to build _socket, but when I reran
the script to debug it, it DID decide to build it.  Right now, I'm boggled,
but since it did work, I feel less pressured to chase it down.

You can work around this by editing Modules/Setup and uncommenting the
second _socket statement.  Then rebuild Python, and off you go.
--
- Tim Roberts, timr at probo.com
  Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.