[Python-Dev] VC++ 2008 Express Edition now locked away?

["Martin v. Löwis"]

Am 07.03.13 09:53, schrieb Steve Dower:
>>>> To use the SDK compiler, you need to do a few manual steps
>>>> first.
>>>>
>>>> After starting a command window, you need to run a batch file
>>>> to configure your environment. Choose the appropriate option
>>>> from
>>>>
>>>> C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio
>>>> 9.0\VC\bin\vcvars64.bat
>>>>
>>>> or
>>>>
>>>> C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio
>>>> 9.0\VC\bin\vcvars32.bat
>>>>
>>>> Then set two environment variables:
>>>>
>>>> set MSSdk=1 set DISTUTILS_USE_SDK=1
>>>>
>>>> After these steps, the standard python setup.py install should
>>>> work.
>>
>> This may be fine for building extensions, but it appears that more
>> instructions are needed for a novice to build python itself.
>
> I'm not even sure that these variables are necessary - certainly
> without the compilers installed setup.py looks in the right place for
> them. I'll try this as well.

Setting MSSdk shouldn't be necessary, as vcvars should already have set it
(unless that changed in recent SDKs). Setting DISTUTILS_USE_SDK is 
necessary as a protection to avoid unintionally picking up the wrong
build tools.

As for distutils finding them automatically: this only works for finding
VS installations. It is (AFAICT) not possible to automatically locate
SDK installations (other than by exhaustive search of the disk).

> As for the documentation, I'd be happy to provide an update for this
> section once I've checked out that everything works.

I think it should explain to to invoke msbuild, in addition to 
explaining how to plug old compilers into new IDEs.

Regards,
Martin