[Python-Dev] Re: [Distutils] Questions about distutils strategy

[Tim Peters]

[James C. Ahlstrom]
> ...
> Python seems to lack a CRC-32 function, so I wrote one
> in Python.  It is slow.  We need to add a CRC-32 function
> to some Python built-in module that it always present, like
> md5 or binascci.  The zlib module is not necessarily present.

Unfortunately, there are many different CRC functions in common use.  None
belong in md5; if the intent is to support just zip's version, adding a
(say) zipcrc32 function to binascii would be ok; if we expect to support
others as well, a new parameterized crc module would be in order.

> I can't seem to get WinZip to record a partial path.  That is,
> I want the ./Lib/test package to have these ZIP paths:
>   test/__init__.pyc
>   test/testall.pyc
>   ...
> but WinZip creates files with either no path at all or the
> fully specified path.  Am I missing something?  Do all
> other ZIP tools do this too?

No, it's a clumsiness unique to WinZip (damn GUIs <0.9 wink>).  In the Add
dialog box, you need to cd to the *Lib* directory, check the "Save extra
folder info" box, and then, e.g.,

1. Put
      test\*.pyc
   in the Add Files line, and click Add With Wildcards.
   Then all test\*.pyc files will be added, with paths test/__init__.pyc
   etc.

or

2. Put
      "test\__init__.pyc" "test\testall.pyc"
   (including the quotes!) in the Add Files line, and click Add.

Since #2 can be unbearable, other useful strategies include:

3. Use #1 (e.g. with dir\*.*) then delete the files you didn't really
   want.

4. Use #1 repeatedly, cleverly using a number of wildcard patterns that
   cover the files of interest.

5. Mixtures of #3 and #4.

6. Use a comand-line zip tool instead (e.g., pkzip; I think WinZip has
   an "experimental" cmdline add-on too, but haven't tried it).