[Python-Dev] "Absolute" paths in PEP 376 RECORD files

[Sridhar Ratnakumar]

Is there any reason why RECORD file can't be generated at runtime? Also,  
why should the RECORD file be generated at all by bdist* commands?

A .deb file contains "data.tar.gz" that is simply extracted over "/".  
There is no need for RECORD inside a .deb file because it is implicit in  
the contents on data.tar.gz.

-srid

On Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:30:05 -0700, P.J. Eby <pje at telecommunity.com> wrote:

> Just an idea...  suppose that instead of using "real" absolute paths in  
> the RECORD file for non-local files (scripts, data, etc) we changed the  
> format to include a "prefix" field, containing something like LIBDIR,  
> SHARE, SCRIPTS, etc., ala bdist_wininst internals?
>
> Also, we could include a separate (optional) PREFIXES file defining what  
> those locations translated to at install time.  Dumb bdists would still  
> have their build paths there (or delete the file before packaging, or  
> use real paths instead of the --root prefixed versions).
>
> Upside: relocation can be detected and handled, RECORD remains  
> cross-platform, and bdists are ok.
>
> Downside: more complex API required to read/manipulate paths and delete  
> files, since you need to be able to check that you have the right  
> prefixes, and may have to ask the user for a prefix you don't recognize,  
> if the default in PREFIXES doesn't match.
>
> Thoughts?
>
> (Also, as a special case, any file that's actually installed to LIBDIR  
> or a subdirectory thereof (even if it's technically a "data" file or  
> script), will probably need to be designated under LIBDIR prefix to  
> prevent runtime breakage in the event any system package maintainers are  
> tempted to use RECORD files as a way of forcing a HFS conformance.   
> These are installation prefixes, *not* content types.)
>
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