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I'm trying to figure out how to compile Python modules in C (http://docs.python.org/extending/extending.html), but the Python.h header file appears to be missing.

I've installed all the python development headers (I have Python-dev, python2.7-dev, python2.6-dev, python-all-dev) but gcc is still reutrning the error:

fatal error: Python.h: No such file or directory compilation terminated.

Any idea where I'm going wrong here? Also is there an argument I need to add to gcc for Python.h (and what is it?).

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  • 1
    Can you tell us what OS? Commented May 16, 2012 at 16:26
  • Did you try Geoff's suggestion? If it didn't work, add a comment to his answer to say what happened. Commented May 17, 2012 at 21:17
  • Still trying to figure it out. The documentation on this stuff is awful. Commented May 18, 2012 at 11:14

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You need to use python-config to determine the compile time and link time flags.

When compiling:

gcc -c `python-config --cflags` somefile.c

When linking:

gcc -o libfoo.so -shared `python-config --ldflags`

Though you really ought to think about using distutils as described in Building C and C++ Extensions with distutils

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Sorted, thanks. Was going in the complete wrong direction there.

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