Python 2.0 and Visual C++ 5.0: Enemies?

[Tim Roberts]

I downloaded and installed the Win32 version of Python 2.0 beta 2 tonight.
So far, all my 1.5.2 scripts work just great.

However, I am seeing a weird problem.  It was triggered when I tried to
install NumPY, and the installation failed trying to link with
python20.lib.  As it turns out, ALL of the DLL import libraries in
python20\libs seem to be incompatible with the linker in Visual C++ 5.0.
LINK, LIB, and even DUMPBIN complain about an invalid file format.

I rolled out the trusty hex editor to try to identify the problem.  It
turns out that these libraries all use the "short form" for import library
members.  The COFF format description on Microsoft's web site describes
this "short form", but gives no indication whether this is a new feature in
VC++ 6.0.  I did scan all of the .LIBs in the VC++ 5.0 distribution, and I
find no libraries which use the short form.

I did see a note indicating that VC++ 6.0 is required in order to build
python.  However, it was not obvious to me that VC++ 6.0 would be required
in order to build any python extensions.  If that is the case, perhaps it
would be prudent to mention it somewhere.

If true, this would be the first downward incompatibility in VC++ since
version 2.0.
--
- Tim Roberts, timr at probo.com
  Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.