[Python-checkins] python/dist/src/Doc/dist dist.tex,1.54,1.55

[theller@users.sourceforge.net]

Update of /cvsroot/python/python/dist/src/Doc/dist
In directory sc8-pr-cvs1:/tmp/cvs-serv24036

Modified Files:
	dist.tex 
Log Message:
Document the DISTUTILS_DEBUG variable.
Closes sf #761401.

Backport candidate.


Index: dist.tex
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/python/python/dist/src/Doc/dist/dist.tex,v
retrieving revision 1.54
retrieving revision 1.55
diff -C2 -d -r1.54 -r1.55
*** dist.tex	13 May 2003 15:02:06 -0000	1.54
--- dist.tex	30 Jun 2003 19:33:29 -0000	1.55
***************
*** 787,790 ****
--- 787,811 ----
  
  
+ \subsection{Debugging the setup script}
+ \label{meta-data}
+ 
+ Sometimes things go wrong, and the setup script doesn't do what the
+ developer wants.
+ 
+ Distutils catches any exceptions when running the setup script, and
+ print a simple error message before the script is terminated.  The
+ motivation for this behaviour is to not confuse administrators who
+ don't know much about Python and are trying to install a package.  If
+ they get a big long traceback from deep inside the guts of Distutils,
+ they may think the package or the Python installation is broken
+ because they don't read all the way down to the bottom and see that
+ it's a permission problem.
+ 
+ On the other hand, this doesn't help the developer to find the cause
+ of the failure. For this purpose, the DISTUTILS_DEBUG environment
+ variable can be set to anything except an empty string, and distutils
+ will now print detailed information what it is doing, and prints the
+ full traceback in case an exception occurrs.
+ 
  \section{Writing the Setup Configuration File}
  \label{setup-config}