# Pack\_install/1 failing **URL:** \ **Category:** Tools\ **Created:** [December 24, 2020, 7:37pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/pack-install-1-failing/3417 "2020-12-24T19:37:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nicholas\_Hubbard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@Nicholas\_Hubbard](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/Nicholas_Hubbard)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2020, 7:37pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/pack-install-1-failing/3417/1 "2020-12-24T19:37:23Z")
I am on a brand new SWI-Prolog install and on a new Linux install. ```prolog @?- pack_install(reif). % Contacting server at https://www.swi-prolog.org/pack/query ... ok Install reif@1.0.0 from GIT at https://github.com/meditans/reif.git Y/n? y ERROR: Unknown message: pack(cannot_create_dir(pack('.'))) false. ``` I am not sure what I am missing. Here is my `check_installation/0` ```prolog 1 ?- check_installation. % Checking your SWI-Prolog kit for common issues ... % % Version: ............. 8.3.16 % Address bits: ........ 64 % Architecture: ........ x86_64-linux % Installed at: ........ /usr/local/lib/swipl % Cores: ............... 8 % % Checking tcmalloc ............................ ok % Checking gmp ................................. ok % Loading library(archive) ..................... ok % Supported filters: bzip2, compress, gzip, grzip, lrzip, lzip, lzma, lzop, none, rpm, uu, xz % Supported formats: 7zip, ar, cab, cpio, empty, gnutar, iso9660, lha, mtree, rar, raw, tar, xar, zip % Loading library(cgi) ......................... ok % Loading library(crypt) ....................... ok % Loading library(bdb) ......................... ok % Loading library(double_metaphone) ............ ok % Loading library(filesex) ..................... ok % Loading library(http/http_stream) ............ ok % Loading library(http/json) ................... ok % Loading library(http/jquery) ................. ok % jQuery from /usr/local/lib/swipl/library/http/web/js/jquery-1.11.3.min.js % Loading library(isub) ........................ ok Warning: library(jpl) .......................... NOT FOUND Warning: See http://www.swi-prolog.org/build/issues/jpl.html % Loading library(memfile) ..................... ok % Loading library(odbc) ........................ ok % Loading library(pce) ......................... ok % Loading library(pcre) ........................ ok % Loading library(pdt_console) ................. ok % Loading library(porter_stem) ................. ok % Loading library(process) ..................... ok % Loading library(protobufs) ................... ok Warning: library(editline) ..................... NOT FOUND Warning: See http://www.swi-prolog.org/build/issues/editline.html % Loading library(readline) ...Thread 1 (main): foreign predicate system:rl_wrap/0 did not clear exception: error(type_error(bool,readline),context(system:rl_wrap/0,_7452)) ................................................ ok % Loading library(readutil) .................... ok % Loading library(rlimit) ...................... ok % Loading library(semweb/rdf_db) ............... ok % Loading library(semweb/rdf_ntriples) ......... ok % Loading library(semweb/turtle) ............... ok % Loading library(sgml) ........................ ok % Loading library(sha) ......................... ok % Loading library(snowball) .................... ok % Loading library(socket) ...................... ok % Loading library(ssl) ......................... ok % Loading library(crypto) ...................... ok % Loading library(syslog) ...................... ok % Loading library(table) ....................... ok % Loading library(time) ........................ ok % Loading library(tipc/tipc) ................... ok % Loading library(unicode) ..................... ok % Loading library(uri) ......................... ok % Loading library(uuid) ........................ ok % Loading library(zlib) ........................ ok % Loading library(yaml) ........................ ok Warning: Found 2 issues. true. ``` ---
**Author:** ![peter.ludemann](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/swi-prolog.discourse.group/peter.ludemann/32/48_2.png) [@peter.ludemann](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/peter.ludemann)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2020, 2:10am UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/pack-install-1-failing/3417/2 "2020-12-25T02:10:39Z")
Works for me, although I get slightly different check\_installation/0 results. Because you have `tcmalloc` in your version, it seems that you built it yourself and didn’t install from the [PPA](https://www.swi-prolog.org/build/PPA.html). ```prolog $ swipl Welcome to SWI-Prolog (threaded, 64 bits, version 8.3.16) 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). ?- pack_install(reif). % Contacting server at https://www.swi-prolog.org/pack/query ... ok Install reif@1.0.0 from GIT at https://github.com/meditans/reif.git Y/n? % Cloning into '/home/peter/.local/share/swi-prolog/pack/reif'... % Contacting server at https://www.swi-prolog.org/pack/query ... ok % "reif.git" was downloaded 37 times Package: reif Title: Reified if, reification library Installed version: 1.0.0 Author: Ulrich Neumerkel Maintainer: Carlo Nucera Activate pack "reif" Y/n? true. ``` ```prolog ?- check_installation. % Checking your SWI-Prolog kit for common issues ... % % Version: ............. 8.3.16 % Address bits: ........ 64 % Architecture: ........ x86_64-linux % Installed at: ........ /usr/lib/swi-prolog % Cores: ............... 4 % % Checking tcmalloc ............................ not present Warning: See http://www.swi-prolog.org/build/issues/tcmalloc.html % Checking gmp ................................. ok % Loading library(archive) ..................... ok % Supported filters: bzip2, compress, gzip, grzip, lrzip, lzip, lzma, lzop, none, rpm, uu, xz % Supported formats: 7zip, ar, cab, cpio, empty, gnutar, iso9660, lha, mtree, rar, raw, tar, xar, zip % Loading library(cgi) ......................... ok % Loading library(crypt) ....................... ok Warning: library(bdb) .......................... NOT FOUND Warning: See http://www.swi-prolog.org/build/issues/bdb.html % Loading library(double_metaphone) ............ ok % Loading library(filesex) ..................... ok % Loading library(http/http_stream) ............ ok % Loading library(http/json) ................... ok % Loading library(http/jquery) ................. ok % jQuery from /usr/share/javascript/jquery/jquery.min.js % Loading library(isub) ........................ ok Warning: library(jpl) .......................... NOT FOUND Warning: See http://www.swi-prolog.org/build/issues/jpl.html % Loading library(memfile) ..................... ok Warning: library(odbc) ......................... NOT FOUND Warning: See http://www.swi-prolog.org/build/issues/odbc.html % Loading library(pce) ......................... ok % Loading library(pcre) ........................ ok % Loading library(pdt_console) ................. ok % Loading library(porter_stem) ................. ok % Loading library(process) ..................... ok % Loading library(protobufs) ................... ok % Loading library(editline) .................... ok % Loading library(readline) .................... ok % Loading library(readutil) .................... ok % Loading library(rlimit) ...................... ok % Loading library(semweb/rdf_db) ............... ok % Loading library(semweb/rdf_ntriples) ......... ok % Loading library(semweb/turtle) ............... ok % Loading library(sgml) ........................ ok % Loading library(sha) ......................... ok % Loading library(snowball) .................... ok % Loading library(socket) ...................... ok % Loading library(ssl) ......................... ok % Loading library(crypto) ...................... ok % Loading library(syslog) ...................... ok % Loading library(table) ....................... ok % Loading library(time) ........................ ok % Loading library(tipc/tipc) ................... ok % Loading library(unicode) ..................... ok % Loading library(uri) ......................... ok % Loading library(uuid) ........................ ok % Loading library(zlib) ........................ ok % Loading library(yaml) ........................ ok Warning: Config: (command line history) Warning: found different directory "/home/peter/.swipl-dir-history" Warning: new location is "/home/peter/.config/swi-prolog/dir-history" Warning: Found 5 issues. true. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Nicholas\_Hubbard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@Nicholas\_Hubbard](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/Nicholas_Hubbard)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2020, 3:45am UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/pack-install-1-failing/3417/3 "2020-12-25T03:45:30Z")
> [@peter.ludemann](#): > > it seems that you built it yourself Yes this is correct. I should mention that I built SWI-Prolog roughly the same way (might have installed more or less of the required packages for a full build) just a few weeks ago and was able to pack\_install(reif). ---
**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:** [December 25, 2020, 8:36am UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/pack-install-1-failing/3417/4 "2020-12-25T08:36:41Z")
> [@Nicholas\_Hubbard](#): > > ```prolog > ERROR: Unknown message: pack(cannot_create_dir(pack('.'))) > > ``` Somehow it cannot find even a candidate directory for installing the packs. These are installed into the first writable directory produced by `pack(.)`. If no such directory exists it will try to create one. This is done by pack\_create\_install\_dir/2 in library(prolog\_pack). Having not even candidates (which I think is the case because the message is printed as unknown message while it normally prints the candidates) is quite weird. Did you retract clauses for file\_search\_path/2? Try ``` ?- [library(prolog_pack)]. ?- gtrace, prolog_pack:pack_create_install_dir(Dir, []). ``` and see why this goes wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Nicholas\_Hubbard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@Nicholas\_Hubbard](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/Nicholas_Hubbard)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2020, 2:25pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/pack-install-1-failing/3417/5 "2020-12-25T14:25:22Z")
> [@jan](#): > > Did you retract clauses for [file\_search\_path/2](https://www.swi-prolog.org/pldoc/doc_for?object=file_search_path/2) I did not. In doing the gtrace the clause that is failing does seem to be `file_search_path/2`. I do not know how to share a gtrace but here is the regular trace: ```prolog 1 ?- [library(prolog_pack)]. true. 2 ?- trace, prolog_pack:pack_create_install_dir(Dir,[]). Call: (11) prolog_pack:pack_create_install_dir(_11902, []) ? creep ^ Call: (12) findall(_12482=create_dir(_12482), (absolute_file_name(pack('.'), _12482, [solutions(all)]), \+exists_file(_12482), \+exists_directory(_12482), file_directory_name(_12482, _12556), (exists_directory(_12556)->access_file(_12556, write);true)), _12580) ? creep Call: (18) absolute_file_name(pack('.'), _12482, [solutions(all)]) ? creep Call: (24) file_search_path(pack, _12880) ? creep Exit: (24) file_search_path(pack, app_data(pack)) ? creep Call: (25) file_search_path(app_data, _13002) ? creep Exit: (25) file_search_path(app_data, user_app_data('.')) ? creep Call: (26) file_search_path(user_app_data, _13124) ? creep Call: (32) exception(undefined_global_variable, '$create_search_directories', _13180) ? creep Fail: (32) exception(undefined_global_variable, '$create_search_directories', _13180) ? creep Fail: (26) file_search_path(user_app_data, _13124) ? creep Redo: (25) file_search_path(app_data, _13002) ? creep Exit: (25) file_search_path(app_data, common_app_data('.')) ? creep Call: (26) file_search_path(common_app_data, _13440) ? creep Call: (31) exception(undefined_global_variable, '$create_search_directories', _13506) ? creep Fail: (31) exception(undefined_global_variable, '$create_search_directories', _13506) ? creep Call: (31) exception(undefined_global_variable, '$create_search_directories', _13602) ? creep Fail: (31) exception(undefined_global_variable, '$create_search_directories', _13602) ? creep Fail: (26) file_search_path(common_app_data, _13440) ? creep Fail: (18) absolute_file_name(pack('.'), _12482, [solutions(all)]) ? creep ^ Exit: (12) findall(_12482=create_dir(_12482), prolog_pack:(absolute_file_name(pack('.'), _12482, [solutions(all)]), \+exists_file(_12482), \+exists_directory(_12482), file_directory_name(_12482, _12556), (exists_directory(_12556)->access_file(_12556, write);true)), []) ? creep Call: (12) lists:list_to_set([], _13834) ? creep Call: (13) pairs:pairs_keys([], _13834) ? creep Exit: (13) pairs:pairs_keys([], []) ? creep Exit: (12) lists:list_to_set([], []) ? creep Call: (12) prolog_pack:pack_create_install_dir([], _11902, []) ? creep Call: (13) []=[_18604=_18606|_18600] ? creep Fail: (13) []=[_18604=_18606|_18600] ? creep Redo: (12) prolog_pack:pack_create_install_dir([], _11902, []) ? creep Call: (13) print_message(error, pack(cannot_create_dir(pack('.')))) ? creep Call: (18) push_msg(pack(cannot_create_dir(pack('.')))) ? creep Call: (21) exception(undefined_global_variable, '$inprint_message', _18880) ? creep Fail: (21) exception(undefined_global_variable, '$inprint_message', _18880) ? creep Exit: (18) push_msg(pack(cannot_create_dir(pack('.')))) ? creep Call: (19) prolog:message(pack(cannot_create_dir(pack('.'))), _18984, _18986) ? creep Call: (20) prolog_pack:message(cannot_create_dir(pack('.')), _18984, _18986) ? creep ^ Call: (21) setof(_18988, absolute_file_name(pack('.'), _18988, [solutions(all)]), _19008) ? creep Call: (33) file_search_path(pack, _19234) ? creep Exit: (33) file_search_path(pack, app_data(pack)) ? creep Call: (34) file_search_path(app_data, _19264) ? creep Exit: (34) file_search_path(app_data, user_app_data('.')) ? creep Call: (35) file_search_path(user_app_data, _19294) ? creep Call: (41) exception(undefined_global_variable, '$create_search_directories', _19304) ? creep Fail: (41) exception(undefined_global_variable, '$create_search_directories', _19304) ? creep Fail: (35) file_search_path(user_app_data, _19294) ? creep Redo: (34) file_search_path(app_data, _19264) ? creep Exit: (34) file_search_path(app_data, common_app_data('.')) ? creep Call: (35) file_search_path(common_app_data, _19294) ? creep Call: (40) exception(undefined_global_variable, '$create_search_directories', _19314) ? creep Fail: (40) exception(undefined_global_variable, '$create_search_directories', _19314) ? creep Call: (40) exception(undefined_global_variable, '$create_search_directories', _19314) ? creep Fail: (40) exception(undefined_global_variable, '$create_search_directories', _19314) ? creep Fail: (35) file_search_path(common_app_data, _19294) ? creep ^ Fail: (21) setof(_18988, prolog_pack:absolute_file_name(pack('.'), _18988, [solutions(all)]), _19008) ? creep Fail: (20) prolog_pack:message(cannot_create_dir(pack('.')), _18984, _18986) ? creep Fail: (19) prolog:message(pack(cannot_create_dir(pack('.'))), _18984, _18986) ? creep Call: (19) message_property(error, stream(_19006)) ? creep Fail: (19) message_property(error, stream(_19006)) ? creep Call: (20) message_property(error, prefix(_19014)) ? creep Fail: (20) message_property(error, prefix(_19014)) ? creep Call: (24) prolog:message_prefix_hook(thread, _19026) ? creep Fail: (24) prolog:message_prefix_hook(thread, _19026) ? creep ERROR: Unknown message: pack(cannot_create_dir(pack('.'))) Call: (17) pop_msg ? creep Exit: (17) pop_msg ? creep Exit: (13) print_message(error, pack(cannot_create_dir(pack('.')))) ? creep Call: (13) fail ? creep Fail: (13) fail ? creep Fail: (12) prolog_pack:pack_create_install_dir([], _11902, []) ? creep Fail: (11) prolog_pack:pack_create_install_dir(_11902, []) ? creep false. ``` ---
**Author:** ![peter.ludemann](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/swi-prolog.discourse.group/peter.ludemann/32/48_2.png) [@peter.ludemann](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/peter.ludemann)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2020, 7:37pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/pack-install-1-failing/3417/6 "2020-12-25T19:37:11Z")
What do you get for this? ```prolog ?- forall(absolute_file_name(pack(x), Z, [solutions(all)]), writeln(Z)). /home/peter/.local/share/swi-prolog/pack/x /usr/local/share/swi-prolog/pack/x /usr/share/swi-prolog/pack/x ``` ```prolog ?- forall(absolute_file_name(pack(.), Z, [solutions(all)]), writeln(Z)). /usr/local/share/swi-prolog/pack /usr/share/swi-prolog/pack ``` ~~@jan - I’m curious why I get different results for `pack(x)` and `pack(.)`.~~ The different results are because `.` is a directory (actually, the current directory) but `x` is (presumably) a file. ---
**Author:** ![Nicholas\_Hubbard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@Nicholas\_Hubbard](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/Nicholas_Hubbard)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2020, 8:16pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/pack-install-1-failing/3417/7 "2020-12-25T20:16:01Z")
> [@peter.ludemann](#): > > What do you get for this? ```prolog ?- forall(absolute_file_name(pack(x), Z, [solutions(all)]), writeln(Z)). true. ``` ```prolog ?- forall(absolute_file_name(pack(.), Z, [solutions(all)]), writeln(Z)). true. ``` ---
**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:** [December 26, 2020, 4:18pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/pack-install-1-failing/3417/8 "2020-12-26T16:18:56Z")
Should be fixed now. The patch 55d5ca7786b417e5dff5a763dff29a13dcfbcfac, trying to avoid the creation of config directories was wrong. For version 8.3.16, this should fix the problem ``` mkdir ~/.local/share/swi-prolog ``` ---
**Author:** ![Nicholas\_Hubbard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@Nicholas\_Hubbard](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/u/Nicholas_Hubbard)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 6:20pm UTC](https://swi-prolog.discourse.group/t/pack-install-1-failing/3417/9 "2020-12-26T18:20:54Z")
> [@jan](#): > > For version 8.3.16, this should fix the problem This worked thanks for the help.