Python Extension Building Network

[kyosohma at gmail.com]

On Nov 9, 5:26 pm, "M.-A. Lemburg" <m... at egenix.com> wrote:
> kyoso... at gmail.com wrote:
> > On Nov 9, 8:36 am, Tim Golden <m... at timgolden.me.uk> wrote:
> >> kyoso... at gmail.com wrote:
> >>> Hi,
> >>> I am trying to get a small group of volunteers together to create
> >>> Windows binaries for any Python extension developer that needs them,
> >>> much like the package/extension builders who volunteer their time to
> >>> create Linux RPMs.
>
> Are you aware of the repository that ActiveState created for
> its version of Python (ActivePython) ? It comes with a
> set of pre-compiled Python extensions (PPMs) and an easy
> to use installer.
>
> Perhaps getting ActiveState to open up the repo would be good
> idea - something like Ubuntu does with the universe repo.
>
>
>
> >>> The main thing I need are people willing to test the binaries to make
> >>> sure the extension is stable. This would require installing the binary
> >>> and probably downloading the source too to get the developer's test
> >>> code. I've been able to get some of the tests to run great while
> >>> others are pretty finicky and some extensions don't come with tests.
> >>> It would be nice to know which extensions are most in need of this
> >>> too.
> >>> While I can create the binaries on my own for a while, if I get too
> >>> many requests, there will be a backlog, so it would be nice to have
> >>> help with that too. I'm also looking for knowledgeable people to be
> >>> sounding boards (i.e. give advice).
> >>> Developers: all I would require is a request, a link to the source,
> >>> and a well-written setup.py file for a cross-platform extension.
> >>> You can find the few that I've already done here:http://
> >>>www.pythonlibrary.org/python_modules.htm
> >>> I have also posted a way to create the binaries using the MinGW
> >>> compiler. I have VS2003 installed on my PC and MinGW is installed in a
> >>> VM, so I can compile the extensions both ways.
> >> Mike, this is great news. Whenever I have time <laughs, but
> >> means it sincerely> I'll try to run through some of the modules
> >> you've compiled.
>
> >> As a slight aside, the main problem I've found when I've tried
> >> to build extensions (and I've been doing it recently with AVBin and
> >> Pyglet) is that Windows just doesn't have the build environment, the
> >> directory structures, the env vars and all that that a ./configure or
> >> even a python setup.py install sometimes expects. eg if I were to
> >> offer to build a MySQL extension (as someone who doesn't use MySQL
> >> and wouldn't have the source libs installed if I did) there would
> >> be a fair bit of pain to go through. You've obviously gone through
> >> that pain barrier for at least some of the extensions on the modules
> >> page. Was it tough?
>
> > The hardest part was finding accurate information. Most people on the
> > user groups have been unhelpful or sarcastic. I had better luck
> > contacting developers directly who had already created Windows
> > binaries. They didn't mind giving me some pointers.
>
> Interesting: Python seems to be "growing up" in all kinds of
> ways ...
>
> > The directions for MinGW were usually only partially correct. So I
> > went through the two sets of directions I found (links on the site)
> > and mixed and matched until I got it right.
>
> > There are no directions on how to use Visual Studio 2003 that I've
> > found, just some old free edition. those directions were incompatible
> > with VS2003. I'll post VS2003's correct usage eventually, but it's
> > basically just installing it and then using distutils.
>
> Getting VS2003 ready to compile Python extensions is really easy:
>
> 1. open a command shell
> 2. run vcvars32.bat
> 3. make sure the Python version you are targetting is on the
>    PATH
> 4. "python setup.py bdist_wininst" or "python setup.py bdist_msi"
> 5. pick up the installer in the build\ directory.
>


I didn't need to run vcvars32.bat to make mine work. But that's good
to know...I think.


> Note: bdist_msi is only available in Python 2.5 and later.
>
> You need VC6 if you want to compile extensions for Python 1.5-2.3
> and VC7.1 for Python 2.4 and later.
>

I was aware of that you needed VC6 for 2.3, but I didn't realize it
went that far back. And I knew you needed 7.1 for 2.4 and 2.5, but
I've heard that they're moving to VS2005 soon.

Thanks for the feedback, Marc-Andre!

Mike

>
> --
> Marc-Andre Lemburg
> eGenix.com
>