$srcdir and $datadir

[Ben Finney]

Victor Porton <porton at narod.ru> writes:

> In GNU software written in C $srcdir and $datadir are accessible to C
> code through generated config.h file.

For what purpose?

Given that the source may not be at that location after the program is
compiled – especially, after the program is moved to a different machine
– what meaning does ‘$srcdir’ have when the program is running?

What “data directory” is specified by ‘$datadir’, and why is it assumed
there is exactly one?

> What is the right way to config directories for a Python program?

We'll need to know what those concepts mean, to be able to discuss the
equivalent (if any) in a Python environment.

-- 
 \      “Shepherds … look after their sheep so they can, first, fleece |
  `\   them and second, turn them into meat. That's much more like the |
_o__)      priesthood as I know it.” —Christopher Hitchens, 2008-10-29 |
Ben Finney