Riak "make devrel" ERROR: generate failed while processing

Question

I'm attempting to follow the tutorial http://docs.basho.com/riak/latest/quickstart/ but can't get past the "make devrel" step. It ends in an error, and the dev/ directory is empty - it is supposed to contain stuff.

The exact command is

make devrel DEVNODES=4 

and in the bash shell the following is spewed out:

...previous stuff cut...
mkdir -p dev
rel/gen_dev dev1 rel/vars/dev_vars.config.src rel/vars/dev1_vars.config
Generating dev1 - node='dev1@127.0.0.1' pbc=10017 http=10018 handoff=10019
(cd rel && ../rebar generate target_dir=../dev/dev1 overlay_vars=vars/dev1_vars.config)
==> rel (generate)
ERROR: generate failed while processing /home/darenw/DataScience/SW/Riak/riak-1.4.6/rel: {'EXIT',
{undef,
    [{reltool,start_server,
         [[{sys,
               [{lib_dirs,["../deps","../deps/riak_search/apps"]},
                {rel,"riak","1.4.6",
                    [kernel,stdlib,lager,sasl,public_key,ssl,riak_sysmon,
                     os_mon,crypto,runtime_tools,erlang_js,mochiweb,
                     webmachine,basho_stats,bitcask,riak_core,riak_pipe,
                     riak_kv,riak_search,riak_api,cluster_info,
                     riak_control,erlydtl,
                     {folsom,load}]},
                {rel,"start_clean",[],[kernel,stdlib]},
                {boot_rel,"riak"},
                {profile,embedded},
                {excl_sys_filters,
                    ["^bin/.*","^erts.*/bin/(dialyzer|typer)"]},
                {excl_archive_filters,[".*"]},
                {app,cluster_info,[{incl_cond,include}]},
                {app,erlang_js,[{incl_cond,include}]},
                {app,ebloom,[]},
                {app,riaknostic,[{incl_cond,include}]},
                {app,bitcask,[{incl_cond,include}]},
                {app,riak_core,[{incl_cond,include}]},
                {app,riak_pipe,[{incl_cond,include}]},
                {app,riak_kv,[{incl_cond,include}]},
                {app,riak_search,[{incl_cond,include}]},
                {app,eper,[{incl_cond,include}]},
                {app,sasl,[{incl_cond,include}]},
                {app,syslog,[{incl_cond,include}]},
                {app,lager_syslog,[{incl_cond,include}]},
                {app,lager,[{incl_cond,include}]},
                {app,riak_control,[{incl_cond,include}]},
                {app,riak_api,[{incl_cond,include}]},
                {app,folsom,[{incl_cond,include}]}]}]]},
     {rebar_reltool,generate,2},
     {rebar_core,run_modules,4},
     {rebar_core,execute,5},
     {rebar_core,process_dir1,6},
     {rebar_core,process_commands,2},
     {rebar,main,1},
     {escript,run,2}]}}
make: *** [dev1] Error 1

I know nothing about Erlang or Riak. I have source for Riak 1.4.6 and have Erlang R14B04, but no interest in mucking about with this all day to get it working. How to build "devrel"?

BTW I do see the question Creating riak nodes: bitcask version clash but this seems to be about some issue with Fedora packages and "bitcask", and is about a different ERROR anyway.

Answer 1

Adding to Brian Roach's comment, it's probably better to use the following project to set up a test cluster, https://github.com/basho/vagrant-riak-cluster. You'll avoid all of the pitfalls that building from source brings with it.

If any Basho dev advocates are reading, maybe it's better to deprecate the DevRel documentation. I've set up a few Riak clusters lately and not once did I find those docs helpful.