[Python-Dev] Problem with pydoc script in PEP 405 venvs

[Vinay Sajip]

Issue #18224 (http://bugs.python.org/issue18224) highlights a problem on
Windows with the pydoc script provided with venvs created by pyvenv. On
POSIX, the script is named pydoc and causes no problems: on Windows, it is
called pydoc.py and this causes problems because it shadows the stdlib pydoc
module.

Possible solutions:

1. Remove the pydoc script altogether from created venvs, on Windows but
also on POSIX (for consistency).
2. Rename the pydoc script on both Windows and POSIX (e.g. to pydocs.py and
pydocs respectively).
3. Rename the pydoc.py script to pydoc-script.py and introduce a simple .exe
launcher pydoc.exe adjacent to it (which is how setuptools and distlib
handle installed scripts).

The first two approaches are backwards-incompatible, while the third is less
likely to lead to breakage, but involves adding a Windows script launcher to
Python. While this is a bigger change, I think any built-in Python installer
functionality should include such a launcher (as setuptools and distlib do).
Still, that's probably a discussion for another day.

Does anyone have any comments? Approach #2 seems the most appropriate. I
assume it would be reasonable to implement this in both 3.3 and 3.4, as it's
not a change in core Python APIs.

In the absence of adverse feedback here, I propose to implement approach #2
on both 3.3 and 3.4.

Regards,

Vinay Sajip