g++ 4.6.1 compiler error: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'

Question

I have a file which compiles without errors or warnings on my macbook pro running osx (snow leopard) using g++ (4.6.1). I just uploaded it to our linux cluster (not run by me) and tried to compile there (also using gcc 4.6.1). This time I many strange error messages with the assembler. How do I interpret the following error?

g++ -I../shared/boost_1_47_0 -std=c++0x -O2  -c ../shared/ft.cpp -o ../shared/ft.o

/tmp/ccEqihNa.s: Assembler messages:
/tmp/ccEqihNa.s:809: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
/tmp/ccEqihNa.s:810: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
/tmp/ccEqihNa.s:1055: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
/tmp/ccEqihNa.s:1056: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:145: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:146: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:248: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:249: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:351: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:352: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:496: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:497: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:988: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:989: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:1488: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:1489: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:2333: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:2334: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:2460: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:2461: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:2899: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:2900: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:3053: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:3054: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:3144: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:3145: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:3205: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:3206: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:3296: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:3297: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:4090: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:4091: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:4921: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:4922: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:5094: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:5095: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:5274: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:5275: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:5365: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:5366: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:5426: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:5427: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:5525: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:5526: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:5744: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:5745: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:5919: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:5920: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:6097: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:6098: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:6209: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:6210: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:6305: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:6306: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:6735: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:6736: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:7082: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:7083: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:7355: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:7356: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:7663: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:7664: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:8139: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:8140: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:8605: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:8606: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:8894: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:8895: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:9224: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:9225: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:9531: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:9532: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:9868: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:9869: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:10313: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:10314: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:10533: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:10534: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:11052: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:11053: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:11324: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:11325: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:13561: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:13562: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:13941: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:13942: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:14340: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:14341: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:14711: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:14712: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:14862: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:14863: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:14963: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:14964: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:15381: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:15382: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:15792: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:15793: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:16293: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:16294: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:16445: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:16446: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:17045: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:17046: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:18020: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:18021: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:18111: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:18112: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:18172: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:18173: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:139: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:140: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:554: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:555: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:654: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:655: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:1344: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:1345: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:1831: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:1832: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:2522: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:2523: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:3061: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:3062: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:3284: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:3285: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:3515: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:3516: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:3745: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:3746: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:3996: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:3997: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:4518: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:4519: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:5489: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:5490: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:6382: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:6383: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:6547: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:6548: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:6651: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:6652: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:6712: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:6713: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:7146: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:7147: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:7367: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:7368: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:7597: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:7598: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:9275: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:9276: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:9562: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:9563: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:10065: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:10066: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:10326: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:10327: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:10534: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:10535: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:11978: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:11979: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:12091: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:12092: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:12936: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:12937: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:14294: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:14295: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'
:16088: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_personality'
:16089: Error: unknown pseudo-op: `.cfi_lsda'

Answer 1

The error means that your assembler (likely /usr/bin/as, part of binutils) is too old.

The patch that added them appears to be this one. Unfortunately, the binutils NEWS file doesn't explicitly reference this addition, but since it was added in 2006, I expect any recent version of binutils would do.