I'm having a similar issues with XML::Parser and expat. I have Perl 5.8 compiled on AIX for 64 bit w/threading in a non-standard location ($HOME). I compiled and installed expat using the same compiler as what I used for Perl 5.8. I then tried making XML::Parser and it complained during the link-phase that I was missing symbols .XML_Parse and .XML_(whatever). Something like 80 symbols were missing.

Is there a problem with expat in a non-standard location?

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We are the carpenters and bricklayers of the Information Age.

The idea is a little like C++ templates, except not quite so brain-meltingly complicated. -- TheDamian, Exegesis 6

Please remember that I'm crufty and crochety. All opinions are purely mine and all code is untested, unless otherwise specified.