Installing SML-NJ on Ubuntu 18.04

Installing SML-NJ on Ubuntu 18.04

Installation Tips for SML/NJ on Ubuntu 18.04
Ted Zhu

First, follow the steps outlined in the SML/NJ installation instructions for Unix:

    http://smlnj.org/install/

The final step,

    $ config/install.sh

Should reveal the following errors:

Error:

    mkdir: cannot create directory ‘/usr/local/sml/bin’: Permission denied
    config/install.sh: !!! Unable to make directory /usr/local/sml/bin!

Resolution:

    Run sudo before the install script:
    $ sudo config/install.sh


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Error:

    /usr/local/sml/config/chk-global-names.sh: 19: /usr/local/sml/config/chk-global-names.sh: cc: not found
    config/install.sh: !!! Problems checking for underscores in asm names.

Resolution:

    Install compilation tools for Ubuntu (gcc, etc.)
    $ sudo apt install build-essential

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Eror:

    config/install.sh: !!! SML/NJ requires support for 32-bit executables. On Debian Linux, 
    you may need to apt-get install gcc-multilib g++-multilib ia32-libs. On RH Fedora, try: yum install glibc-devel.i686 libgcc.i686

Resolution:

    Attempt to install all the SML/NJ recommended packages for 32-bit support.
    $ sudo apt-get install gcc-multilib g++-multilib ia32-libs

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Error:

    Package ia32-libs 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
    However the following packages replace it:
      lib32ncurses5 lib32z1

    E: Package 'ia32-libs' has no installation candidate


Resolution:

    Install only "gcc-multilib"
    $ sudo apt-get install gcc-multilib

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Now the final installation step of SML/NJ should work successfully, on Ubuntu 18.04 (64-bit).

    $ sudo config/install.sh
    ...
    ... Installation complete.

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To add the 'sml' executable to PATH, add the following line to ~/.profile:

    PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/sml/bin


Restart your terminal and you should be able to run 'sml'.

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To enable the arrow keys for history navigation inside the 'sml' interpreter, install and use rlwrap. 

    $ sudo add-apt-repository universe
    $ sudo apt-get update
    $ sudo apt install rlwrap

Then to run 'sml' with arrow key history navigation:

    $ rlwrap sml

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Please leave a comment below if this guide has helped you!

Thank you very much!!!

Thanks, it really helped me.

Install only "gcc-multilib"

I also installed lib32z1 along with it.

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Here are the pages that were also helpful:

1. https://askubuntu.com/questions/578172/cannot-install-ia32-libs-on-ubuntu-14-04-64bit
2. http://www.smlnj.org/install/
3. http://www.smlnj.org/dist/working/110.80/

I am getting the following error : ./install.sh: !!! File config/preloads is missing.
I am using ubuntu 20.04

Very helpful, appreciate you going step by step!

@shubhamkumar13 I know I'm late to the party, but I ran into this issue for a moment too. For anyone who also has the issue, the solution is to run the script from outside the config folder.
./config/install.sh
instead of
./install.sh