[gdal-dev] Build GDAL from scratch on CentOS 6.5 (Jake Brinkmann)

[Daniel Clewley]

Hi Jake,

As you mentioned Anaconda Python, one options is to install a different GDAL build from binstar someone has built with HDF4 support or build yourself using the conda build system on a virtual machine you have root access to and then install these binaries through conda.

A quick search of binstar.org showed the following user with GDAL built against HDF4:

https://binstar.org/jevans

You should be able to install this version of GDAL through conda using:

conda install -c https://conda.binstar.org/jevans gdal

Note: I haven't tested this.

Building your own packages is a bit more involved - basically you create a recipe and then build it using:

conda build recipe-folder

There is a github repository with lots of examples here:

https://github.com/conda/conda-recipes/

We've built GDAL and other software through conda for Linux and OS X under virtual machines and installed on different machines (without root access) and it's worked pretty well.

Hope this helps and the discussion of conda isn't too off topic.

Thanks,

Dan

On 15 Aug 2014 23:11, Even Rouault <even.rouault at spatialys.com> wrote:
> 
> Jake,
> 
> well if you don't have the basic build dependencies, this might get
> complicated... Nothing impossible, but might take time indeed.
> Well one possibility is to access a CentOS where you have a root access (e.g. a
> VM that you install), build on it, and then copy the resulting binaries.
> 
> Even
> 
>> Hey Even,
>> 
>> Thank you for outlining this. The trouble I have is that, without root
>> access, `make install` is a never-ending list of missing libraries, or
>> compilation errors...
>> Do you know of a way to resolve the missing libraries without root access
>> (and without wasting the next 48hours untaring, compiling, and installing)?
>> 
>> Just as an example, I cant even compile the HDF4 source with `./configure
>> --prefix=/have/write/access` because of something with Fortran and g77... I
>> disable fortran as `./configure --prefix=/have/write/access
>> --enable-fortran=NO` but then it fails due to missing yacc utility.... This
>> continues until I get so lost as to what library I'm installing for what
>> package, that it just seems there must be an easier way...
>> 
>> If you have any thoughts, please, let me know.
>> 
>> Thank you for reaching out.
>> Jake
>> 
>> 
>> On Fri, Aug 15, 2014 at 4:45 PM, Even Rouault <even.rouault at spatialys.com>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> Selon Jake Brinkmann <jakebrinkmann at gmail.com>:
>>> 
>>>> Hello all geospatial-web-wizards,
>>>> 
>>>> I am struggling pretty hard building the GDAL libraries and all the
>>>> countless dependencies from source in CentOS6.5. I do not have root
>>> access
>>>> on my machine, but I need the GDAL (as well as HDF, GeoTiff, GEOS, etc.)
>>>> libraries for performing image processing using the Terra/Aqua MODIS
>>>> satellite remote sensing data.
>>>> Does anyone out there have experience building GDAL along with HDF and
>>>> Python bindings, but without, and I emphasize here: *without* root
>>> access?
>>>> Alternatively, if possible, I would be willing to install a binary, but
>>>> remember: I do not have root access (so I'm not sure this would work...)
>>>> and lack experience with *.rpm files
>>>> 
>>>> Let me know, please, if anyone has any ideas at all.
>>>> I am really wishing the Anaconda Python distribution would come with GDAL
>>>> supporting HDF4, but it currently does not...
>>>> 
>>>> Thanks for reading, and any help you can provide,
>>> 
>>> Jake,
>>> 
>>> It is always possible to build without root access.
>>> The scheme is :
>>> 1) Download HDF4 sources, untar, cd to the source directory
>>> 2) ./configure --prefix=/somewhere/where/you/have/write/access
>>> 3) make install
>>> 4) Download GDAL sources, untar, cd to the source directory
>>> 5) ./configure --prefix=/somewhere/where/you/have/write/access
>>> --with-hdf4=/somewhere/where/you/have/write/access
>>> 6) make install
>>> 7) cd swig/python
>>> 8) python setup.py build
>>> 9) export PYTHONPATH=$PWD/build/lib.linuxXXXXXXXX (to be adapted depending
>>> on
>>> your architecture and Python version)
>>> 10) export PATH=/somewhere/where/you/have/write/access/bin:$PATH
>>> 11) export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/somewhere/where/you/have/write/access/lib
>>> 
>>> You should be done.
>>> 
>>> Even
>>> 
>>> --
>>> Spatialys - Geospatial professional services
>>> http://www.spatialys.com