Not enough Python library development [was PEP scepticism]

[Mike C. Fletcher]

My suggestions for the TODO list...


ConfigStorage:
	Read/write, storage of Python values for configuration variables,
potentially use .ini, .whatever, or registry for storage, use human-editable
formats wherever possible.  Replace registry settings for Python with such
repositories to allow for cross-platform scripts (see config below).
Purpose here is to provide a convenient and robust way for applications to
store their configuration settings as Python data without needing to think
about the storage mechanism.  Should prevent storing huge objects in the
windows registry.


ZipDirectory/Virtual FileSystem:
	Make reading/writing into/out of archive files as trivial as
reading/writing from directories (i.e. zipdirectory.open(
'z:/temp/test.zip/path/to/myfile.txt','r').read() would work).  Allow for
reading, modifying (the tricky one), and writing files.  Should handle .zip,
(.jar), .tar, potentially also .hqx (or whatever the mac standard is).
Creation would follow virtual filesystem model, you create a zip
"directory", then populate it with files...

	zipdirectory.makedirectory( 'z:/temp/test.zip', compress=1 )
	zipdirectory.open('z:/temp/test.zip/path/to/myfile.py', 'w').write(
somedata )

On a larger level, provide hooks for virtual filesystems of all types, so
that, for instance, the ftp modules could be given a similar api, as could
the urllib.retrieve stuff:

	file = open( 'http://www.python.org/','r')
	file.readline()
	file.read()

With file being a class providing file-like semantics, a buffer into which
the data is downloaded, as well as the http-specific stuff.


Configure:
	Allow (potentially persistent) configuration of the running Python
interpreter.  Modify path values, modify list of scripts run at startup,
modify shell action bindings (for win32).  Should allow for user interaction
to prevent unwanted changes I suppose.


>From other threads:
	Cross-platform SerialPortIO
	Micro-threads :)
	GUI Front-end to Py2EXE to make inclusion/exclusion of items easier

Enjoy all,
Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: python-list-admin at python.org
[mailto:python-list-admin at python.org]On Behalf Of Guido van Rossum
Sent: June 29, 2001 12:18
To: python-list at python.org
Subject: Re: Not enough Python library development [was PEP scepticism]


Roman Suzi <rnd at onego.ru> writes:

> Is there a formal TODO list of the libraries and respective priorities?

No, although there's a PEP for small feature requests (PEP 42).

If you want to start making a list of missing libraries and submit a
PEP, please do!  I'm sure many people will want to contribute.
...