# Error during compilation (V9.3.32): **URL:** \ **Category:** Help!\ **Created:** [October 22, 2025, 2:50pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/error-during-compilation-v9-3-32/9355 "2025-10-22T14:50:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frank\_Schwidom](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/swi-prolog.discourse.group/frank_schwidom/32/7662_2.png) [@Frank\_Schwidom](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/Frank_Schwidom)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 2:50pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/error-during-compilation-v9-3-32/9355/1 "2025-10-22T14:50:46Z")
I checked out via “git checkout V9.3.32” from “`https://github.com/SWI-Prolog/swipl-devel`” and compiled in a build directory via cmake and make: ```prolog [65%] Building C object src/CMakeFiles/swiplobjs.dir/pl-funct.c.o /home/ox_external_source/sources_external/swi-prolog-github/swipl-devel/src/pl-funct.ic:320:9: error: ‘ATOM_xpceref’ undeclared here (not in a function); did you mean ‘ATOM_spare’? 320 | FUNCTOR(ATOM_xpceref, 1), | ^ ~~~~~~~~~~~ /home/ox_external_source/sources_external/swi-prolog-github/swipl-devel/src/pl-funct.c:296:25: note: in definition of macro ‘FUNCTOR’ 296 | #define FUNCTOR(n, a) { n, a } | ^ make[2]: *** [src/CMakeFiles/swiplobjs.dir/build.make:212: src/CMakeFiles/swiplobjs.dir/pl-funct.c.o] Fehler 1 make[2]: *** Es wird auf noch nicht beendete Prozesse gewartet.... make[1]: *** [CMakeFiles/Makefile2:2708: src/CMakeFiles/swiplobjs.dir/all] Fehler 2 make: *** [Makefile:182: all] Fehler 2 ``` ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Schwidom](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/swi-prolog.discourse.group/frank_schwidom/32/7662_2.png) [@Frank\_Schwidom](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/Frank_Schwidom)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 3:38pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/error-during-compilation-v9-3-32/9355/2 "2025-10-22T15:38:02Z")
I get the same error message in V9.3.31. I just tried out master and now I get ```prolog [92%] Generating odbc.bib Error copying file (if different) from "/home/ox_external_source/sources_external/swi-prolog-github/swipl-devel/packages/odbc/odbc.bib" to "odbc.bib". make[2]: *** [packages/odbc/CMakeFiles/odbc.doc.html.dir/build.make:93: packages/odbc/odbc.bib] Fehler 1 make[1]: *** [CMakeFiles/Makefile2:10315: packages/odbc/CMakeFiles/odbc.doc.html.dir/all] Fehler 2 make: *** [Makefile:182: all] Fehler 2 ``` ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Schwidom](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/swi-prolog.discourse.group/frank_schwidom/32/7662_2.png) [@Frank\_Schwidom](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/Frank_Schwidom)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 4:25pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/error-during-compilation-v9-3-32/9355/3 "2025-10-22T16:25:11Z")
> [@Frank\_Schwidom](#): > > `packages/odbc/odbc.bib` I just touched the missing file and recompiled and installed it. But It shows version nr 9.3.20-1-g1ded30f09-DIRTY after the start. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Schwidom](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/swi-prolog.discourse.group/frank_schwidom/32/7662_2.png) [@Frank\_Schwidom](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/Frank_Schwidom)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 4:29pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/error-during-compilation-v9-3-32/9355/4 "2025-10-22T16:29:43Z")
That can only mean master is not the current development branch. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Schwidom](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/swi-prolog.discourse.group/frank_schwidom/32/7662_2.png) [@Frank\_Schwidom](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/Frank_Schwidom)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 4:44pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/error-during-compilation-v9-3-32/9355/5 "2025-10-22T16:44:29Z")
> [@Frank\_Schwidom](#): > > `https://github.com/SWI-Prolog/swipl-devel` Ok, I cloned in a completely new directory and built again (master, 9.3.32-16-g508550cf3). Flawless install. But editline doesn’t work as expected. Remember: never touch a running readline. swipl doesn’t read the ~/.editrc ---
**Author:** ![jan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/swi-prolog.discourse.group/jan/32/4_2.png) [@jan](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/jan)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 5:37pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/error-during-compilation-v9-3-32/9355/6 "2025-10-22T17:37:54Z")
> [@Frank\_Schwidom](#): > > That can only mean master is not the current development branch. It is. I guess something when wrong updating (some modified file in the day?), you did not update the submodules, … If this happens again, try `git status`, `git log` or `git describe` to verify all is clean an at the intended version. > [@Frank\_Schwidom](#): > > swipl doesn’t read the ~/.editrc Good question. Maybe it doesn’t. You can load it explicitly using ``` ?- el_source(user_input, _). ``` The second argument is the file to load. If unbound it should read `~/.editrc`. P.s. No need to install, you can just run `swipl` or `swipl-win` from the `src` directory inside the build directory. That allows for running multiple versions compiled with different options easily. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Schwidom](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/swi-prolog.discourse.group/frank_schwidom/32/7662_2.png) [@Frank\_Schwidom](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/Frank_Schwidom)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 6:13pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/error-during-compilation-v9-3-32/9355/7 "2025-10-22T18:13:06Z")
Ok there was still an entry in the ~/.config/swi-prolog/init.pl `:- set_prolog_flag( readline, readline).` That was the reason for the missing history. And I’m using now `:- el_bind(user_input, ['-v']).` in the config file (it works), but this doesn’t work in a .pl file. `el_source(user_input, _).` doesn’t work in the config file. But it read the `~/.editrc` on `el_source(user_input, '/home/ox/.editrc').` So it could work. ---
**Author:** ![jan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/swi-prolog.discourse.group/jan/32/4_2.png) [@jan](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/jan)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 7:08pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/error-during-compilation-v9-3-32/9355/8 "2025-10-22T19:08:33Z")
> [@Frank\_Schwidom](#): > > That was the reason for the missing history. Ok. Added a warning for that. > [@Frank\_Schwidom](#): > > And I’m using now `:- el_bind(user_input, ['-v']).` in the config file (it works), but this doesn’t work in a .pl file. What do you mean with “config file” and “.pl file”. The way to configure the library is by defining `editline:el_setup/1`. This is called when the library is initialised for a stream. E.g. ```prolog :- multifile editline:el_setup/1 editline:el_setup(Stream) :- el_bind(user_input, ['-v']), el_source(user_input, _). ``` Of course, this must be loaded before the editline is activated on `Stream`. The normal `init.pl` file is loaded early enough. A variable should work as it passes `NULL` to `el_source()`, which claims > el\_source() > Initialize editline by reading the contents of file. el\_parse() is called for each line in file. If file is NULL, try $EDITRC and if that is not set $HOME/.editrc. Refer to editrc(5) for details on the format of file. el\_source() returns 0 on success and -1 on error. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Schwidom](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/swi-prolog.discourse.group/frank_schwidom/32/7662_2.png) [@Frank\_Schwidom](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/Frank_Schwidom)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 8:44pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/error-during-compilation-v9-3-32/9355/9 "2025-10-22T20:44:30Z")
> [@jan](#): > > What do you mean with “config file” and “.pl file”. I cannot reproduce the error I which I had. Currently it works when My file starts with: ```prolog #!/usr/local/bin/swipl -s :- el_bind(user_input, ['-v']). ``` But of course it is no longer needed since it works with the init.pl file. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Schwidom](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/swi-prolog.discourse.group/frank_schwidom/32/7662_2.png) [@Frank\_Schwidom](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/Frank_Schwidom)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 8:55pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/error-during-compilation-v9-3-32/9355/10 "2025-10-22T20:55:26Z")
> [@jan](#): > > Ok. Added a warning for that. The warning is ok. But I believe I made an observation mistake. I startet swipl in the homedirectory and saw the history (after I commented out the readline directive in the init.pl) but my projecthistory in a project directory was gone before that. And now I understood that we have a history pro directory. And there was a time when I saw the raw codings per keypress in the console (with the old readline directive) but even that I cannot reproduce. But I remember there were still old binaries running in parallel (idle). Maybe that created some effects. idk. Readline provided me a marker (ins, cmd) which showed me in which vi state the current commandline is. I hope I find something similar in editline. ---
**Author:** ![jan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/swi-prolog.discourse.group/jan/32/4_2.png) [@jan](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/jan)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2025, 7:00am UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/error-during-compilation-v9-3-32/9355/11 "2025-10-23T07:00:48Z")
> [@Frank\_Schwidom](#): > > And now I understood that we have a history pro directory. That has been the case for a long time, also with readline AFAIK. The queries of another project are rarely useful … > [@Frank\_Schwidom](#): > > I saw the raw codings per keypress What does that mean? > [@Frank\_Schwidom](#): > > But I remember there were still old binaries running in parallel (idle). Maybe that created some effects. idk. History is saved on program exit. That is one of the things I still have my doubt about. It works fine for a single instance, but if you run multiple instances of Prolog in the same directory you only have the history of the last one you closed. Should we instead simply add the last command to the history file immediately? That also ensures the history is preserved in case of a hard crash. > [@Frank\_Schwidom](#): > > Readline provided me a marker (ins, cmd) which showed me in which vi state the current commandline is. I hope I find something similar in editline. I don’t know. The underlying `libedit` seems to be under active development. Besides, you can program it from Prolog 🙂 Checkout the Prolog API and if it does not provide what you are after (I fear that is the case here) the C API for `libedit`. You can also raise a feature request with the original BSD project. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Schwidom](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/swi-prolog.discourse.group/frank_schwidom/32/7662_2.png) [@Frank\_Schwidom](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/Frank_Schwidom)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2025, 12:10pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/error-during-compilation-v9-3-32/9355/12 "2025-10-23T12:10:01Z")
> [@jan](#): > > What does that mean? So, now it’s reproducible: When I have in the `~/.config/swi-prolog/init.pl` ```prolog :- set_prolog_flag( readline, readline). :- el_bind(user_input, ['-v']). ``` Then I see a warning ```prolog $ swipl ERROR: /home/ox/.config/swi-prolog/init.pl:23: ERROR: editline:el_bind/2: Domain error: `libedit_input' expected, found `user_input' Warning: /home/ox/.config/swi-prolog/init.pl:23: Warning: Goal (directive) failed: user:el_bind(user_input,['-v']) Welcome to SWI-Prolog (threaded, 64 bits, version 9.3.32-16-g508550cf3) SWI-Prolog comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY. This is free software. Please run ?- license. for legal details. For online help and background, visit https://www.swi-prolog.org For built-in help, use ?- help(Topic). or ?- apropos(Word). Warning: [Thread main] library `library(readline)' does not exist ``` and I have “raw keypresses” on cursor keys and esc in the console like `^[[D^[[A^[[C^[[B^[` (and no history) . But that’s ok with the new readline warning. When I have in the `~/.config/swi-prolog/init.pl` ```prolog :- el_source(user_input, _). ``` ‘~/.editrc’ is not read. When I call it directly, it is only read when I provide the filename. ```prolog ?- el_source(user_input, _). true. ?- el_source(user_input, '.editrc'). true. ``` ```prolog $ inotifywait .editrc Setting up watches. Watches established. .editrc OPEN # on el_source(user_input, '.editrc'). ``` When I call `el_source(el, NULL)` from a c program then `~/.editrc` isn’t read. When I call `el_source(el, "/home/ox/.editrc")` from a c program it is read. The first case is, what pl\_source from `./packages/libedit/libedit4pl.c` is doing, when `term_t file` is a variable. I’m on debian 11 And I use `ii libedit-dev:amd64 3.1-20191231-2+b1 amd64 BSD editline and history libraries (development files)` As far as I understand should `el_source(el, NULL)` read the `~/.editrc` file but it don’t . So it is actually not a bug of Swi Prolog. But Swi Prolog relies on that. ---
**Author:** ![jan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/swi-prolog.discourse.group/jan/32/4_2.png) [@jan](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/jan)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2025, 1:50pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/error-during-compilation-v9-3-32/9355/13 "2025-10-23T13:50:31Z")
> [@Frank\_Schwidom](#): > > When I have in the `~/.config/swi-prolog/init.pl` > > `:- el_source(user_input, _).` As I said, the config file is read _before_ commandline editing is enabled. That allows you to disable it, load something else, etc. (and in the old days select `readline`). So, to configure editline you have to use the library hook that is called after editline is activated on a stream. Copying from my earlier post: > [@jan](#): > > The way to configure the library is by defining `editline:el_setup/1`. This is called when the library is initialised for a stream. E.g. > > ```prolog > :- multifile editline:el_setup/1 > > editline:el_setup(Stream) :- > el_bind(user_input, ['-v']), > el_source(user_input, _). > > ``` Now it seems el\_source/2 is broken due to a broken C library, At least, yours is not compatible with the docs of mine. In Fedora 42, `el_source(user_input, _)` does what it promises to do. The Ubuntu 22.04 docs are the same as the Fedora docs for `el_source()`. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Schwidom](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/swi-prolog.discourse.group/frank_schwidom/32/7662_2.png) [@Frank\_Schwidom](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/Frank_Schwidom)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2025, 2:25pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/error-during-compilation-v9-3-32/9355/14 "2025-10-23T14:25:26Z")
> [@jan](#): > > broken due to a broken C library This is the code of of the el\_source function of libedit-3.1-20191231 : ```c int el_source(EditLine *el, const char *fname) { FILE *fp; size_t len; ssize_t slen; char *ptr; char *path = NULL; const wchar_t *dptr; int error = 0; fp = NULL; if (fname == NULL) { #ifdef HAVE_ISSETUGID if (issetugid()) return -1; if ((fname = getenv("EDITRC")) == NULL) { static const char elpath[] = "/.editrc"; size_t plen = sizeof(elpath); if ((ptr = getenv("HOME")) == NULL) return -1; plen += strlen(ptr); if ((path = el_calloc(plen, sizeof(*path))) == NULL) return -1; (void)snprintf(path, plen, "%s%s", ptr, elpath + (*ptr == '\0')); fname = path; } #else /* * If issetugid() is missing, always return an error, in order * to keep from inadvertently opening up the user to a security * hole. */ return -1; #endif } ... ``` It returns -1 if fname == NULL and if I don’t have the issetugid call which seems to come originally from openbsd. It is still the same in `https://cvsweb.netbsd.org/bsdweb.cgi/src/lib/libedit/el.c?rev=1.101.4.1;content-type=text%2Fplain` So I expect that I cannot fix it with an update of the libeditline2 libs. ---
**Author:** ![jan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/swi-prolog.discourse.group/jan/32/4_2.png) [@jan](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/jan)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2025, 3:06pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/error-during-compilation-v9-3-32/9355/15 "2025-10-23T15:06:42Z")
> [@Frank\_Schwidom](#): > > This is the code of of the el\_source function of libedit-3.1-20191231 : We are getting a little off topic. There are quite a few different versions of this library floating around in various OSes. Looking at the Fedora sources, they provided a Linux friendly implementation of finding `~/.editrc`. One could raise this as an issue with Debian as the docs claim this works, but the implementation doesn’t. Anyway, simply use this: ``` expand_file_name('~/.editrc', [File]), el_source(user_input, File). ```