installing python mapscript

[John C Cartwright]

Hello All,

I'm trying to install and use python/mapscript in a non-standard
directory (/extra/contrib/lib) and having some trouble.

Here's my steps:
1) cd mapscript/python
2) copy mapscript.py, mapscript_wrap.c from modern/
3) python setup.py  build
4) python setup.py install --prefix=/extra/contrib

This creates /extra/contrib/lib/python2.2/site-packages/ with the
contents: mapscript.py  mapscript.pyc  _mapscript.so

However when I try to use the module:

[jcc at lynx jcc]$ python
Python 2.2.3 (#1, Feb  2 2005, 12:20:51)
[GCC 3.2.3 20030502 (Red Hat Linux 3.2.3-49)] on linux2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
 >>> import sys
 >>> sys.path.append('/extra/contrib/lib/python2.2/site-packages/')
 >>> import mapscript
Traceback (most recent call last):
   File "<stdin>", line 1, in ?
   File "/extra/contrib/lib/python2.2/site-packages/mapscript.py", line
4, in ?
     import _mapscript
ImportError: /extra/contrib/lib/python2.2/site-packages/_mapscript.so:
undefined symbol: SE_state_get_info


I'm sure that it's a configuration issue, but I'm afraid that I'm too
much of a python novice to know exactly what the problem is. Can anyone
provide a suggestion?

Environment:
python 2.2.3
mapserver 4.4.2
RHEL WS 3

Thanks!

-- john