Python in Windows CE?

[Mark Hammond]

Ulf Engstrøm wrote in message <19991118102301.910.qmail at hotmail.com>...
>>You will probably want to check out the Python CE
>>mailing list:
>>
>>    http://www.egroups.com/group/python-ce/

>While both CE and Python attempt to be portable, it appears that the
current
>situation is not at all portable.  It appears there is no way we can write
a
>win32 Python program, and have it work on both CE, and Win95/NT.

"No way" isnt quite correct.  The Python shell also runs on the desktop.
Its true that you basically cant take a program written for the desktop and
expect it to run unchanged.  Unicode issues at least will prevent this
before Python 1.6.

>At the most basic level, simple win32 wrappers are in differently named
>modules.  For example, the CE port has win32reg for the registry functions,
>but in the existing win32 ports, they exist in win32api.  This is not to
>suggest my scheme is anywhere near ideal, but IMO a common strategy is
>needed.

Agreed, and it is slowly happening.  Many modules are built from the same
code base - indeed, all "new" modules are.  win32api doesnt exist on CE,
and, again, is unlikely to until at least Python 1.6.  But many modules are
as identical as the platform allows.

Pythonwin is not there, and wont be until at least CE3.0 :-)

>Has any solutions to this been found? And are there any other compability
>problems?

A number.  But not alot more than there are between the platforms
themselves - eg, there is _no_ language that allows you to take an existing
win32 app and have it run on CE.  C++ definately cant.  VB is probably the
closest, but I have never used it on CE.

And I have to be honest - if you need to do anything non trivial, it is
likely you will need to have a C compiler for CE, and add a few new "swig"
declarations, particularly for the GUI stuff.  At least for now :-)

Mark.