doc/build-unix.md suggests installing libdb4.8-dev on debian via an ubuntu ppa

ian-kelling commented at 5:58 am on February 27, 2014: contributor

doc/build-unix.md says libdb4.8-dev libdb4.8++-dev should be installed. Those packages are not in debian wheezy. A link is provided to an ubuntu ppa. The first several links found from googling “ubuntu ppa on debian” leads me to believe that installing ubuntu ppa packages on debian is a bad idea. There should be a link or package that is meant for debian specifically. If the ubuntu package is really meant for debian, which ubuntu version of the package to use on which version of debian should be stated.

ghost commented at 9:28 am on February 27, 2014: none

It would be good to actually list the command to install the ppa because it’s non-obvious at launchpad.

awfm9 commented at 10:05 am on February 27, 2014: none

In Debian Wheezy, you can add “oldstable” to your aptitude streams is sources.list, it contains libdb4.8-dev and libdb4.8++-dev. Simply add this line to the file:

deb http://[your debian package url]/debian/ oldstable main contrib non-free

Then do an update and install the packages as usual.

ian-kelling commented at 10:42 am on February 27, 2014: contributor

awishformore: That is perfect. Thanks.

laanwj closed this on Jun 1, 2014

MathyV referenced this in commit aad286f3fa on Oct 27, 2014

C-Otto commented at 9:28 pm on March 11, 2016: none

In case anyone would like to try again, the oldstable mentioned by @awishformore is squeeze, so the following sources.list entry is necessary:

0deb http://archive.debian.org/debian/ squeeze main contrib non-free

luke-jr commented at 9:45 pm on March 11, 2016: member

Installing oldstable packages on anything but oldstable is probably also a bad idea. There is no good solution for Debian AFAIK. :(

C-Otto commented at 10:18 pm on March 11, 2016: none

Do you have any reason to say that? It works. Besides, I don’t think that old versions are better with other modern distributions with different package management systems.

luke-jr commented at 11:49 pm on March 11, 2016: member

It’s probably fine for db4.8 alone, but adding the oldstable repo could result in other stuff getting pulled in too. Still, I’d sooner prefer to just use a newer BDB…

Some other distros still have updated db4.8 packages (eg, Ubuntu has them via the PPA).

C-Otto commented at 0:14 am on March 12, 2016: none

All of which doesn’t help people who want to build on Debian. For those people adding the archive and loading this specific package from that archive is a good idea, not “probably a bad idea”.

tuxsoul commented at 2:36 am on March 12, 2016: none

maybe backporting ? ;)

laanwj commented at 10:15 am on March 14, 2016: member

There is no good solution for Debian AFAIK. :(

Buildling bdb 4.8 from source seems to be the best option (as described in https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/build-unix.md#berkeley-db ). I’d also recommend strongly against globally installing it (either through oldstable or make install), unless in a throw-away VM.

DarkIlluminatus commented at 6:53 am on April 8, 2016: none

The best option, the one that has consistently worked, is what C-Otto suggested. To use the squeeze repo.

For this ONE thing, it is good, and the only way on Debian 7 to get this package through apt-get.

I do not recommend building from source. When I did, that caused all sorts of issues with other dependencies related to other cryptos. No idea why it was any different in this case.

You may also want to get libdb4.8++-dev while you’re at it.

Anyway, after using that repo in your.sources list don’t forget to uncomment it immediately afterwards so that you don’t end up with something that really IS incompatible.

using oldstable does not work, btw. Only using the squeeze. I’m assuming that’s because wheezy likely never included 4.8.

CaVO32 commented at 2:33 am on February 7, 2018: none

to fool many or just to make things work on the fly i downloaded all updated .deb from the ppa, debian 9.3 took each and every one except one of the bdb-java’s and i can compile without a flaw most wallets requiring db4.8 i did not insert anything in my sources list or modify anything else. using gdebi one package at a time until all were installed …. just saying…….

sgehrman commented at 5:01 am on March 3, 2019: none

Can’t build for Debian. Can’t find instructions. Adding deb http://archive.debian.org/debian/ squeeze main contrib non-free didn’t fix it.

MarcoFalke commented at 4:30 pm on March 3, 2019: member

If you want to compile Bitcoin Core from source you can choose:

not to use the wallet (configure without the wallet ./configure --disable-wallet)
use the system package (might be 5.x, so configure with incompatible wallet ./configure --with-incompatible-bdb)
use the depends system (see ./depends)
use the ./contrib/install_db4.sh script (see https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/build-openbsd.md#building-berkeleydb)

All of those are tested to work and I don’t think anyone should need to mess with the ppa sources

laanwj referenced this in commit 57acfcb9fd on Mar 4, 2019

Jetro-Costa commented at 10:58 pm on January 19, 2021: none

If you want to compile Bitcoin Core from source you can choose:

* not to use the wallet (configure without the wallet `./configure --disable-wallet`)

* use the system package (might be 5.x, so configure with incompatible wallet `./configure --with-incompatible-bdb`)

* use the depends system (see `./depends`)

* use the `./contrib/install_db4.sh` script (see https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/build-openbsd.md#building-berkeleydb)

All of those are tested to work and I don’t think anyone should need to mess with the ppa sources

So I run use the ./contrib/install_db4.sh script (see https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/build-openbsd.md#building-berkeleydb) in the Bitcoin folder?

MarcoFalke commented at 7:43 am on January 20, 2021: member

Everything is documented in https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/build-unix.md, so I am going to lock this issue now. Please open a new issue if the linked documentation is unclear.

MarcoFalke locked this on Jan 20, 2021

doc/build-unix.md suggests installing libdb4.8-dev on debian via an ubuntu ppa #3757