I have made some changes so that when using the --prefix option there is no need to set PETSC_DIR or PETSC_ARCH. ./configure --prefix=... other options make make install Barry On Nov 27, 2009, at 5:47 PM, Satish Balay wrote:

On Fri, 27 Nov 2009, Barry Smith wrote:

...

How does the gnu/autoconf world handle this. If you have two gnu/ autoconf installed packages how can you tell they are compatible? You should use the same type of mechanism they use. (what?, they don't have such a mechanism? Well then that is a limitation of the --prefix model and you have to live with that).

The issue is not what the prefix model dictates. The issue is: do slepc/petsc4py support both modes of install similar to PETSc. If not why does PETSc need PETSC_ARCH for a prefix install? [if we are so pure with supporting gnu/autoconf model?].

Satish