unable to open sip-4.16.4/siplib/siplib.sbf

Question

I am preparing to install PyQt on a Mac running OS X 10.9.5. Python 3.4.2.

According to this page: http://pyqt.sourceforge.net/Docs/PyQt5/installation.html I should download and install SIP first. So I downloaded V4.16.4 from Riverbank: http://www.riverbankcomputing.com/software/sip/download

I started running configure.py, which issued a handful of normal messages and then issued an error msg: unable to open sip-4.16.4/siplib/siplib.sbf Python was accessing the correct folder, as the first few msgs show. The file siplib.sbf is absent from the siplib folder (there is a siplib.sbf.in file in there).

    Mac-at-home:~ username$ python /Applications/sip-4.16.4/configure.py
    This is SIP 4.16.4 for Python 3.4.2 on darwin.
    The SIP code generator will be installed in
    /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.4/bin.
    The sip module will be installed in
    /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.4/lib/python3.4/site-packages.
    The sip.h header file will be installed in
    /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.4/include/python3.4m.
    The default directory to install .sip files in is
    /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.4/share/sip.
    Creating siplib/sip.h...
    Creating siplib/siplib.c...
    Creating siplib/siplib.sbf...
    Creating sipconfig.py...
    Creating top level Makefile...
    Creating sip code generator Makefile...
    Creating sip module Makefile...
    Error: Unable to open "/Applications/sip-4.16.4/siplib/siplib.sbf"
    Mac-at-home:~ username$ 

Here's the siplib folder content:

    apiversions.c
    array.c
    array.h
    bool.cpp
    descriptors.c
    objmap.c
    qtlib.c
    sip.h.in
    sipint.h
    siplib.c.in
    siplib.sbf.in
    threads.c
    voidptr.c

I thought it could be an old file that was dropped from this release, but I looked into V4.16.3, and siplib.sbf isn't there either. I must be doing something wrong - but what?

Thanks in advance for your comments

PS - I did see a similar question posted, but I don't think the answers apply: SIP install - unable to open siplib.sbf

Answer 1

Problem solved: Looks like Qt must be installed first.

Installing PyQt on Windows

I installed Qt, the file siplib.sbf was created and SIP configure process ended successfully. I presume this was also the cause to the problem I mentioned in my PS.