python 2.6, MS manifest and distutils

["Martin v. Löwis"]

>  - msvcr 9 is not publicly available on most computers (by publicly, I
> mean system-wide), but python 2.6 installs its own version in the Side
> by Side assembly folder.

Almost. If you chose "just for me", then it doesn't put the CRT into
SxS, but just places msvcr9.dll next to python26.dll (plus a manifest
file).

>  - I can build a trivial extension with mingw which can be loaded by
> python 2.6, by embedding manifest with gcc + windres (that is by using
> a toolchain 100 % mingw-based, without using any MS tool like mt.exe).

That shouldn't be necessary - extension modules should be able to find
the CRT without an embedded manifest, assuming the process has already
loaded it.

>  - numpy, at the configuration stage, builds some small code snippets
> and run them: to run, they have to embed manifests as well. I think
> this should be somewhat supported by distutils ?

I don't think so - see above.

>  - which manifest file to use: for now, I am using a manifest file
> copied from the python binary itself (using strings on python.exe). It
> works, but I guess this  means that the extensions are specific to
> this exact binary: python 2.6 reports the version 9.0.21022.8, the MS
> runtime in redist directory of my copy of visual studio 2008 express
> reports 9.0.30729.1. If python 2.6.1 is built with another version, am
> I right to assume it will break (because it would use two different
> runtimes) ? Would it makes sense to make the exact version of the
> runtime available to distutils so that we can generate manifest on the
> fly for mingw ?

Just don't embed any manifest - see above.

Regards,
Martin