I was trying to install software named ncview on a centos 5.3 box. ./configure command gave this error: Error, the X libraries and development headers must be installed for ncview to work! I was surprised that there were many google hits related to ubuntu, none for centos. So even though I eventually figured out what to do, I decided to share this with the list anyhow, so maybe next time I google that error I'll get this post. The X error message would have been much more helpful if it was more specific about what exactly is missing. "X libraries and headers" just covers too much territory. Google said the ubuntu flavored problem was solved by ./configure --x-libraries=/usr/lib64 (or wherever the necessary libraries are). After much finagling, I solved my problem by installing xorg-x11-proto-devel-7.1-13.el5 package (has headers in it) and using this command: ./configure --x-libraries=/usr/lib64 --x-includes=/usr/include/X11 That got past the X check, but then I got this error: checking for /sw/include/netcdf.h... no Fatal error: I cannot find the directory that holds the netcdf include file netcdf.h! A bit more digging and success with: ./configure --x-libraries=/usr/lib64 --x-includes=/usr/include/X11 --with-netcdf_incdir=/usr/include/netcdf-3 I'm still not sure exactly which X libraries were required in addition to the header package (xorg-x11-proto-devel-7.1-13.el5). Fedora has (used to have?) an rpm for ncview, I wish centos did. best, Dave p.s. I figured out where the 'X headers' were by using this command: yum search xorg|grep -i headers ./configure --help told me the header switch and the netcdf switch. figure out netcdf: rpm -qa|grep netcdf netcdf-static-3.6.2-7.el5 netcdf-3.6.2-7.el5 netcdf-devel-3.6.2-7.el5 [root at sock ncview-1.93g]# rpm -qs netcdf-devel|grep 'netcdf.h$' normal /usr/include/netcdf-3/netcdf.h more details: [root at sock ncview-1.93g]# ./configure [snip] checking for ANSI C header files... yes checking for X... no Error, the X libraries and development headers must be installed for ncview to work! [root at sock ncview-1.93g]# ./configure --x-libraries=/usr/lib64 [snip] checking for X... no Error, the X libraries and development headers must be installed for ncview to work! [root at sock ncview-1.93g]# yum search xorg|grep -i headers xorg-x11-proto-devel.i386 : X.Org X11 Protocol headers xorg-x11-proto-devel.x86_64 : X.Org X11 Protocol headers [root at sock ncview-1.93g]# rpm -q xorg-x11-proto-devel.x86_64 xorg-x11-proto-devel-7.1-13.el5 [root at sock ncview-1.93g]# ls /usr/lib64/lib[xX]* /usr/lib64/libx11globalcomm.la /usr/lib64/libXinerama.so.1.0.0 /usr/lib64/libx11globalcomm.so /usr/lib64/libXi.so.6 /usr/lib64/libx11globalcomm.so.1 /usr/lib64/libXi.so.6.0.0 /usr/lib64/libx11globalcomm.so.1.0.0 /usr/lib64/libxkbfile.so.1 /usr/lib64/libX11.so /usr/lib64/libxkbfile.so.1.0.2 /usr/lib64/libX11.so.6 /usr/lib64/libxklavier.so.11 /usr/lib64/libX11.so.6.2.0 /usr/lib64/libxklavier.so.11.0.0 /usr/lib64/libx2sys.so /usr/lib64/libxml2.so.2 /usr/lib64/libx2sys.so.4 /usr/lib64/libxml2.so.2.6.26 /usr/lib64/libXau.so /usr/lib64/libXm.so.4 /usr/lib64/libXau.so.6 /usr/lib64/libXm.so.4.0.1 /usr/lib64/libXau.so.6.0.0 /usr/lib64/libXmu.so.6 /usr/lib64/libXaw3d.so.7 /usr/lib64/libXmu.so.6.2.0 /usr/lib64/libXaw3d.so.7.0 /usr/lib64/libXmuu.so.1 /usr/lib64/libXaw6.so.6 /usr/lib64/libXmuu.so.1.0.0 /usr/lib64/libXaw6.so.6.0.1 /usr/lib64/libXpm.so.4 /usr/lib64/libXaw7.so.7 /usr/lib64/libXpm.so.4.11.0 /usr/lib64/libXaw7.so.7.0.0 /usr/lib64/libXp.so.6 /usr/lib64/libXaw.so.6 /usr/lib64/libXp.so.6.2.0 /usr/lib64/libXaw.so.7 /usr/lib64/libXrandr.so.2 /usr/lib64/libXbae.so.4 /usr/lib64/libXrandr.so.2.0.0 /usr/lib64/libXbae.so.4.0.60 /usr/lib64/libXrender.so.1 /usr/lib64/libXcomposite.so.1 /usr/lib64/libXrender.so.1.3.0 /usr/lib64/libXcomposite.so.1.0.0 /usr/lib64/libXRes.so.1 /usr/lib64/libXcursor.so.1 /usr/lib64/libXRes.so.1.0.0 /usr/lib64/libXcursor.so.1.0.2 /usr/lib64/libxslt.so.1 /usr/lib64/libXdamage.so.1 /usr/lib64/libxslt.so.1.1.17 /usr/lib64/libXdamage.so.1.0.0 /usr/lib64/libXss.so.1 /usr/lib64/libXdmcp.so /usr/lib64/libXss.so.1.0.0 /usr/lib64/libXdmcp.so.6 /usr/lib64/libXTrap.so.6 /usr/lib64/libXdmcp.so.6.0.0 /usr/lib64/libXTrap.so.6.4.0 /usr/lib64/libXevie.so.1 /usr/lib64/libXt.so.6 /usr/lib64/libXevie.so.1.0.0 /usr/lib64/libXt.so.6.0.0 /usr/lib64/libXext.so.6 /usr/lib64/libXtst.so.6 /usr/lib64/libXext.so.6.4.0 /usr/lib64/libXtst.so.6.1.0 /usr/lib64/libXfixes.so.3 /usr/lib64/libXv.so.1 /usr/lib64/libXfixes.so.3.1.0 /usr/lib64/libXv.so.1.0.0 /usr/lib64/libXfontcache.so.1 /usr/lib64/libXxf86dga.so.1 /usr/lib64/libXfontcache.so.1.0.0 /usr/lib64/libXxf86dga.so.1.0.0 /usr/lib64/libXfont.so.1 /usr/lib64/libXxf86misc.so.1 /usr/lib64/libXfont.so.1.4.1 /usr/lib64/libXxf86misc.so.1.1.0 /usr/lib64/libXft.so.2 /usr/lib64/libXxf86vm.so.1 /usr/lib64/libXft.so.2.1.2 /usr/lib64/libXxf86vm.so.1.0.0 /usr/lib64/libXinerama.so.1 [root at sock ncview-1.93g]# rpm -qa|grep xorg xorg-x11-server-Xnest-1.1.1-48.52.el5 xorg-x11-fonts-misc-7.1-2.1.el5 xorg-x11-drv-magictouch-1.0.0.5-2.1 xorg-x11-drv-fbdev-0.3.0-2 xorg-x11-drv-jamstudio-1.1.0-1.1 xorg-x11-drv-spaceorb-1.1.0-1.1 xorg-x11-drv-vga-4.1.0-2.1 xorg-x11-drv-evdev-1.0.0.5-3.el5 xorg-x11-fonts-75dpi-7.1-2.1.el5 xorg-x11-drv-void-1.1.0-3.1 xorg-x11-drv-keyboard-1.1.0-3 xorg-x11-drv-elographics-1.1.0-1.1 xorg-x11-drv-i810-1.6.5-9.21.el5 xorg-x11-drv-microtouch-1.1.0-1.1 xorg-x11-drv-ur98-1.1.0-1.1 xorg-x11-drv-siliconmotion-1.4.1-2.1 xorg-x11-drv-mutouch-1.1.0-3 xorg-x11-proto-devel-7.1-13.el5 xorg-x11-apps-7.1-4.0.1.el5 xorg-x11-fonts-Type1-7.1-2.1.el5 xorg-x11-fonts-100dpi-7.1-2.1.el5 xorg-x11-drv-tdfx-1.2.1-3.1 xorg-x11-drv-dmc-1.1.0-2 xorg-x11-drv-palmax-1.1.0-1.1 xorg-x11-drv-ast-0.81.0-3 xorg-x11-drv-trident-1.2.1-3.fc6 xorg-x11-drv-s3virge-1.9.1-2.1 xorg-x11-drv-s3-0.4.1-2.1 xorg-x11-drv-citron-2.2.0-1.1 xorg-x11-drv-sis-0.9.1-7.1.el5 xorg-x11-drv-sisusb-0.8.1-4.1 xorg-x11-drv-dummy-0.2.0-2.1 xorg-x11-drivers-7.1-4.1.el5 xorg-x11-filesystem-7.1-2.fc6 xorg-x11-server-utils-7.1-4.fc6 xorg-x11-fonts-base-7.1-2.1.el5 xorg-x11-xfs-1.0.2-4 xorg-x11-fonts-ISO8859-1-75dpi-7.1-2.1.el5 xorg-x11-fonts-truetype-7.1-2.1.el5 xorg-x11-drv-penmount-1.1.0-2.1 xorg-x11-drv-savage-2.1.1-5.fc6 xorg-x11-drv-joystick-1.1.0-1.1 xorg-x11-drv-magellan-1.1.0-1.1 xorg-x11-drv-fpit-1.1.0-1.1 xorg-x11-drv-calcomp-1.1.0-1.1 xorg-x11-drv-vmmouse-12.4.0-2.1 xorg-x11-drv-acecad-1.1.0-2.1 xorg-x11-drv-elo2300-1.1.0-1.1 xorg-x11-drv-digitaledge-1.1.0-1.1 xorg-x11-drv-nv-2.1.12-3.el5 xorg-x11-drv-vesa-1.3.0-8.1.el5 xorg-x11-xauth-1.0.1-2.1 xorg-x11-twm-1.0.1-3.1 xorg-x11-xinit-1.0.2-15.el5 xorg-x11-utils-7.1-2.fc6 xorg-x11-fonts-ISO8859-1-100dpi-7.1-2.1.el5 xorg-x11-server-Xorg-1.1.1-48.52.el5 xorg-x11-drv-hyperpen-1.1.0-2 xorg-x11-drv-ati-6.6.3-3.22.el5 xorg-x11-drv-vmware-10.13.0-2.1 xorg-x11-drv-mga-1.4.2-10.el5 xorg-x11-drv-via-0.2.1-9 xorg-x11-drv-summa-1.1.0-1.1 xorg-x11-xkb-utils-1.0.2-2.1 xorg-x11-font-utils-7.1-2 xorg-x11-drv-mouse-1.1.1-1.1 xorg-x11-drv-tek4957-1.1.0-1.1 xorg-x11-drv-aiptek-1.0.1-2 xorg-x11-drv-voodoo-1.1.0-3.1 xorg-x11-drv-cirrus-1.1.0-2.fc6 xorg-x11-drv-dynapro-1.1.0-2 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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