When building bitcoind, I receive error "headers.h:36:20: fatal error: db

When building bitcoind on LinuxCoin (Debian based), I receive this error

"headers.h:36:20: fatal error: db_cxx.h: No such file or directory"

following the instructions at https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/build-unix.txt

I believe the error is caused by the package "libdb4.8++-dev" being non-existant for the distro, as when attempting to "apt-get install" that, I get:

Package libdb4.8++-dev is not available, but is referred to by another package. This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or is only available from another source

E: Package 'libdb4.8++-dev' has no installation candidate

NOTE: libdb4.8-dev and all other dependencies are already installed.

It's probably a silly mistake on my part but any help is appreciated! Thanks.

bitcoind

Sean Chapman

Posted 2011-10-09T15:09:19.897

Reputation: 1 718

@DavidSchwartz - just a small correction - I found the package is called libdb-dev – Richard Green – 2013-05-13T12:55:35.020

Do you have a db_cxx.h file anywhere? You can check with locate. – David Schwartz – 2011-10-09T15:29:12.110

No. I used to have the db-5.1.8 version but I removed that as the readme said I needed 4.8. – Sean Chapman – 2011-10-09T15:33:15.123

If you don't have libdb-devel installed, it won't compile. You can use 5.1.8, just realize your files won't be compatible with builds made with earlier versions. – David Schwartz – 2011-10-09T15:53:49.933

Yeah. I've redownloaded and compiled 5.1.8 now and that's all okay but I'm getting the same error. Not sure how to tweak this makefile to include the db5.1.8 directories – Sean Chapman – 2011-10-09T16:03:00.393

The makefile I am using is: http://pastebin.com/wGpPNjEb. My db-5.1.8 directories are located at /usr/local/BerkeleyDB.5.1/

– Sean Chapman – 2011-10-09T16:13:06.823

Answers

You need to add -I <directory> to the end of the CXX=g++ line in the Makefile. The directory should be the one that contains the db_cxx.h file from your BerkeleyDB installation. So, change:

CXX=g++

CXX=g++ -I /usr/local/BerkeleyDB.5.1

You may need a /include or something like that on the end of that. It depends exactly which directory holds the db_cxx.h file.

David Schwartz

Posted 2011-10-09T15:09:19.897

Reputation: 46 931

Worked a treat with Berkeley 5.1.8, thanks. – Sean Chapman – 2011-10-09T17:37:04.720

Yup thanks, works a treat with Berkeley 5.1.8 – ktec – 2012-03-10T10:28:54.477

I did the following command on Ubuntu and it worked.

sudo apt-get install libdb++-dev

Kieran Andrews

Posted 2011-10-09T15:09:19.897

Reputation: 301

2brew install berkeley-db on Mac OS X – Felipe – 2014-05-12T07:23:31.000

I think you can install the libdb4.8++-dev package if you add the stable debian repo in your sources.list.

I did it on my system (debian sid), and now I can proceed to the installation. I haven't tested the full bitcoind compilation yet, though.

grondilu

Posted 2011-10-09T15:09:19.897

Reputation: 51

1libdb5.1++-dev also works, for those who would rather install later versions of packages. +1 thanks! – L0j1k – 2013-03-10T23:56:31.890

it compiles nice with later versions but be carefull and do not mix up db*-dev and db*++-dev. Here you have to install the "++" version

Tyra Misoux

Posted 2011-10-09T15:09:19.897

Reputation: 11

Thanks, that's what I was missing ,db++-dev instead of db-dev – Squeezle – 2013-05-24T06:01:22.443

Try this:

sudo apt-get install libdb5.3++-dev

The latest stable package, I used this on the new Bitcoin-Qt 8.3 patch from GIT and it compiled flawlessly, for any files that had that as an include.

Note:

If you are using gcc / g++ version 4.8 and you were looking for libdb4.8++-dev, there is a reason why you couldn't find an installation candidate.

Don't confuse the libdb5.3++-dev package with the version of the gcc / g++ compiler and linker, they're not part of the gcc / g++ but an add-on development library regardless of what version of the compiler you use.

user6016

Posted 2011-10-09T15:09:19.897

Reputation: 69

When building bitcoind, I receive error "headers.h:36:20: fatal error: db_cxx.h: No such file or directory"

Answers