[Python-Dev] setuptools in the stdlib ( r45510 - python/trunk/Lib/pkgutil.py python/trunk/Lib/pydoc.py)

[Fredrik Lundh]

Phillip J. Eby wrote:

> >a technical document that, in full detail, describes the mechanisms *used* by
> >setuptools, including what files it creates, what the files contain, how
> >they are used during import, how non-setuptools code can manipulate (or at
> > least inpect) the data, etc, setuptools should *not* go into 2.5.
>
> And that is a mostly-specific, very fair, and completely reasonable
> objection.  And I think a significant portion of it is answered by the
> existing documentation, at least with respect to the runtime.  The
> pkg_resources API module includes all of the discovery, dependency
> resolution and introspection other facilities used by setuptools, and it
> does not depend on the rest of setuptools, which is directed primarily at
> building and installing eggs.  A number of users have written simple Python
> scripts using the documented API in order to list installed packages and
> that sort of thing.  The current API reference documentation is available
> at http://peak.telecommunity.com/DevCenter/PkgResources .)

What I want is a PEP that explains the things that are manipulated by
this API.  What things are stored where, what do they contain, and how
are they are used by the various tools ?

The API in itself isn't very interesting; I'm interested in the underlying
design.

</F>