How to work on a package

[Rob Gaddi]

On 02/07/2018 12:34 PM, Roel Schroeven wrote:
> dieter schreef op 7/02/2018 8:21:
>> Likely, there are many ways to execute tests for your package.
> 
>> I am using "setuptools" for packaging (an extension
>> of Python's standard "disutils"). Its "setup.py" supports the "test"
>> command. This means, properly set up, I can run tests
>> with "python setup.py test".
> 
> That can solve the testing issue, I guess, even though it feels weird to 
> me that the most straightforward way doesn't work.
> 
> But testing is not the only issue. Often I'd like to start the Python 
> interpreter to load one of the modules in the package to try some things 
> out, or write a little script to do the same. These things are very 
> natural to me when writing Python code, so it seems very strange to me 
> that there's no easy way when working on a packages.
> 
> Don't other people do that?
> 

The state of Python packaging is... unfortunate. Improving, due to huge 
amounts of work by some very dedicated people, but still unfortunate.

When I'm working on a module, the trick is to write a setup.py (using 
setuptools) from the very get-go.  Before I write a single line of code, 
I've got a setup.py and the directory framework.

Then you install the package using pip -e (or in practice --user -e). 
That's the missing piece.  That way you can import your module from the 
interpreter, because it's now on the path, but its physical location is 
right there where you left it, complete with your VCS metadata and etc.

-- 
Rob Gaddi, Highland Technology -- www.highlandtechnology.com
Email address domain is currently out of order.  See above to fix.