Error: '/bin/grep' was not found on the current PATH

Hi,

I have tried to install Foswiki 1.0.8 on an AIX 5.3 server running apache.

The install seems to have a gone fine and I've run through the configuration but I'm still getting two errors and nothing displays when I go to http://<dnsaddress>/wiki/bin/view/System/WebHome (i renamed foswiki to wiki).

I have set the wiki to use RCSLite but the two errors I get are to do with {RCS}{EgrepCmd} and {RCS}{FgrepCmd}. They both say "Error: '/bin/grep' was not found on the current PATH"

Now grep is installed as part of AIX in /usr/bin/ as is egrep and fgrep. The PATH variable set in the security setup section of the configuration contains /bin:/usr/bin and plenty of other locations on my server.

I've tried all the different combinations in the {RCS}{EgrepCmd} and {RCS}{FgrepCmd} boxes such as /usr/bin/grep and just grep without a path but everytime it comes up with the same error.

Is someone able to tell me if AIX grep is not "GNU-compatible" hence the error? Or am I doing something wrong regarding the setup?

Any help/advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks very much,
Alex

Instead of scanning the PATH to find grep, I assume for performance reasons, you must set the full path manually in {RCS}{EgrepCmd} and {FgrepCmd}.

I was successfully able to do the following on my Linux system:

mv /bin/grep /usr/bin/grep
confirm errors you observed in configure
update {RCS}{EgrepCmd} and {FgrepCmd} to point at /usr/bin/grep instead of /bin/grep
no more configure errors
access wiki successfully

The code that checks for presence of the grep command lives at lib/Foswiki/Configure/Checker.pm in the method checkGnuProgram, which does this:

`$prog --version 2>&1`

I'm not an expert on these matters but it appears Foswiki assumes GNU binaries.

-- PaulHarvey - 15 Jan 2010

Hi,

Thanks for the quick response, but I'm still having a problem.

I've got grep in /usr/bin/ (its always been there) but its still coming back with the error. The question I've got is whether AIX grep is compatible with Foswiki code. I guess if a 'grep --version' doesn't give the correct version information then I've got a problem...

-- AlexLindley - 16 Jan 2010

It has been suggested to try the AIX open source packages to get a GNU version of grep and friends, if possible: http://irclogs.foswiki.org/bin/irclogger_log/foswiki?date=2010-01-16,Sat&sel=131#l127

-- PaulHarvey - 16 Jan 2010

Thanks Paul, really appreciate the help.

I'll try and give this a go on Monday.

-- AlexLindley - 16 Jan 2010

Silence suggests success. Closing.

-- CrawfordCurrie - 13 Jul 2010