Thread: BUG #5306: psql: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib/libreadline.so.5: undefined symbol: BC

The following bug has been logged online:

Bug reference:      5306
Logged by:
Email address:      christophe.moulin@progimed.fr
PostgreSQL version: 8.4.1
Operating system:   Linux/Redhat
Description:        psql: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib/libreadline.so.5:
undefined symbol: BC
Details:

I made an installation of Postgres on a redhat machine after compiling
sources on a redhat machine. Everything is OK.
When i install Postgres on a debian machine, i get an error when using psql
: "psql: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib/libreadline.so.5: undefined symbol:
BC"

If i compile sources on debian-machine, psql does not work on a redhat
machine. Same error message.

"" <christophe.moulin@progimed.fr> writes:
> I made an installation of Postgres on a redhat machine after compiling
> sources on a redhat machine. Everything is OK.
> When i install Postgres on a debian machine, i get an error when using psql
> : "psql: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib/libreadline.so.5: undefined symbol:
> BC"

> If i compile sources on debian-machine, psql does not work on a redhat
> machine. Same error message.

This is not a bug.  They're two different platforms and you shouldn't
expect compiled executables to be portable between them.

            regards, tom lane

On Tue, Feb 2, 2010 at 7:38 AM, Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us> wrote:
> "" <christophe.moulin@progimed.fr> writes:
>> I made an installation of Postgres on a redhat machine after compiling
>> sources on a redhat machine. Everything is OK.
>> When i install Postgres on a debian machine, i get an error when using p=
sql
>> : "psql: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib/libreadline.so.5: undefined symbo=
l:
>> BC"
>
>> If i compile sources on debian-machine, psql does not work on a redhat
>> machine. Same error message.
>
> This is not a bug. =A0They're two different platforms and you shouldn't
> expect compiled executables to be portable between them.
>
Just as a note (and clarification):

Sometimes (very occasionally) I have had to move existing Pg binaries
across machines (and even different versions of the same Linux Distro:
 Fedora).  Occasionally I have done this when I have to make
absolutely certain that file-level backups restore on a different
machine.  However, it is not a common task.

Very often when I have done this, I have found that I also have to
copy over the Readline .so files from the original machine.

First, this isn't a PostgreSQL problem, and it certainly isn't a Pg
bug.  It has to do with changes to the Readline library and the way
linking works on Linux systems.

In general, the word of advice is that unless you know what you are
doing, don't try this at home.

Best Wishes,
Chris Travers