Unable to build Boost.Python - boost

Question

I am trying to build boost.python following this link.
When I try to compile using ./b2 or ./bjam, I am getting errors like:
error: No best alternative for /python_for_extensions
next alternative: required properties: <python>2.6 <target-os>linux
matched
next alternative: required properties: <python>2.6 <target-os>linux
matched
The error disappears when I added this line:
using python : 2.6 : /usr/bin/python2.6 : /usr/include/python2.6 : /usr/lib/python2.6 : <python-debugging>on ;
in
/home/kchaitanya/boost/boost_1_50_0/tools/build/v2/user-config.jam
However, when compiling now, I get compile time errors of not being able to find header files. Just a small excerpt of the errors is:
...patience...
...patience...
...found 1548 targets...
...updating 62 targets...
gcc.compile.c++ bin.v2/libs/python/build/gcc-4.1.2/release/link-static/threading multi/numeric.o
In file included from ./boost/python/detail/prefix.hpp:13,
from ./boost/python/numeric.hpp:8,
from libs/python/src/numeric.cpp:6:
./boost/python/detail/wrap_python.hpp:50:23: error: pyconfig.h: No such file or directory
./boost/python/detail/wrap_python.hpp:75:24: error: patchlevel.h: No such file or directory
./boost/python/detail/wrap_python.hpp:78:2: error: #error Python 2.2 or higher is required for
./boost/python/detail/wrap_python.hpp:142:21: error: Python.h: No such file or directory
./boost/python/instance_holder.hpp:34: error: ‘PyObject’ has not been declared
./boost/python/instance_holder.hpp:41: error: expected ‘;’ before ‘(’ token
./boost/python/instance_holder.hpp:45: error: ‘PyObject’ has not been declared
./boost/python/detail/wrapper_base.hpp:21: error: expected initializer before ‘*’ token
./boost/python/detail/wrapper_base.hpp:23: error: expected initializer before ‘*’ token
Need help on building this boost.python.

Answer 1

The problem was not installing the python-devel or python-dev package corresponding to my python version.
In my case it was python2.6 so
sudo yum install python26-devel did the trick.

Answer 2

I had a similar issue in my project and above would not help. I was cross-compiling python and boost, and the actual issue for me was duplication of the 'using python : ' in configuration (one existed in project-config.jam, following the bootstrap.sh/bat execution and I was trying to add another python config myself to a user-config.jam).
This solution was described in here:
http://comments.gmane.org/gmane.comp.lib.boost.build/22088
and here:
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/boost-developers-archive/namMFSO_6Rg