[postgis-devel] Win32 error message: libiconv-2.dll was not found

Mark Cave-Ayland mark.cave-ayland at siriusit.co.uk
Thu Mar 6 03:02:13 PST 2008


On Wednesday 05 March 2008 17:58:41 Mike Toews wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I've just installed a fresh version PosgreSQL 8.3 on a Windows XP Pro
> system. I installed PostGIS (version 1.3.2 ?) through the Application
> Stack Builder, as recommended. However, when I tried to use the
> shp2pgsql command, I received an OK-Only error message titled
> "shp2pgsql.exe - Unable To Locate Component" and message: "This
> application has failed to start because libiconv-2.dll was not found.
> Re-installing the application may fix this problem."
>
> This isn't a show stopper for me, since libiconv2.dll (sans "-") exists
> in C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\8.3\bin (I'm not sure which distro
> installed this). I copied this DLL and renamed it to libiconv-2.dll, and
> the command now appears to work. I think this could be a simple matter
> of file naming, but I'm not 100% sure.

Yes, this is a known issue. Having discussed this with Dave/Magnus over the 
last couple of days, it seems that the best course of action is to include a 
separate libiconv-2.dll with the installer, much in the same way that the 
Slony installer does. This is because the DLL naming convention is different 
between a MingW iconv build and an MSVC iconv build. The solution you gave 
above should be fine as a work-around.

> Also, as a side note to the web developers at Refractions Research, you
> may need to update some slightly contradicting information:
>
>     * http://postgis.refractions.net/download/ says "do *not* install
>       the PostGIS included in the PostgreSQL installer"
>     * http://postgis.refractions.net/download/windows/ indicates "For
>       PostgreSQL 8.3 Users: PostGIS is now included as part of the new
>       PostgreSQL StackBuilder architecture"

Well, I'm responsible for the Windows download section, so the text there was 
mine. I agree that the part on the main download page could do with a 
re-write, so you'll need to nudge the Refractions guys about that.


ATB,

Mark.

-- 
Mark Cave-Ayland
Sirius Corporation - The Open Source Experts
http://www.siriusit.co.uk
T: +44 870 608 0063



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