[Python-Dev] addressing distutils inability to track file dependencies

[Steve Holden]

[Fredrik]
> > (maybe someone who knows a little more about distutils
> > could take an hour and add brief overviews of all standard
> > commands to the reference section(s)?  just having a list
> > of all commands and command options would have helped
> > me, for sure...)
>
[Guido]
> Instead of bothering with the (mostly) harmless but also mostly
> unhelpful manuals, try the --help feature.  E.g. this has the info you
> want:
>
> $ python setup.py build_ext --help

[ ... ]
It seems like a shame that effort was wasted producing "unhelpful"
documentation (and I have to say my experience was similar, but I thought it
was just me). The better the docs, the more module and extension authors
will use distutils.

Is the problem simply too generic for it to be logged as a documentation
bug? (A bit like the famous DEC SIR: "VMS 2.0 does not work". DEC's
response? "Fixed in next release"). Couldn't find anything in SF.

regards
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Steve Holden                                 http://www.holdenweb.com/
Python Web Programming                http://pydish.holdenweb.com/pwp/
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