[Distutils] A prefix option?

[Phillip J. Eby]

At 07:31 AM 2/9/2006 -0500, Jim Fulton wrote:
>I really don't think the virtual python approach is viable, at a minimum
>because it doesn't work on windows.  It is also unacceptably heavy IMO.

What do you mean by "heavy"?


>I think we need a simple way to handle custom directories that is:
>
>- cross platform
>
>- doesn't require modifying the Python install
>
>- allows chained/multile custom directories, which means the trick
>   of putting eggs and scripts in the same directory doesn't work,

PYTHONPATH-based installs allow all of this, as long as you add the 
setuptools .egg to PYTHONPATH.


>- is simple. :)

PYTHONPATH is simple everywhere but Windows, and it's complex there only 
because you have to right click a bunch of icons to get to the editing 
facility.

ISTM that what's missing from your requirements statement is how you would 
like to activate or deactivate these various custom directories.  An 
alternate Python executable?  Script wrappers?  Commands you run to set 
what directories are active?


>It appears that this has something to do with your plugin proposal.

Not that I'm aware of, actually.  The plugin facility is intended for an 
"application instance" path, distinct from a general/global installation 
location.


>I'll try to participate in that discussion to tease this out a bit more.

Design and implementation assistance greatly appreciated, on this thread as 
well as that one.