[Pythonmac-SIG] creating package installers for Python variants

[Andrew Straw]

Question to Mac OS X installer (and Installer.app) gurus:

I am distributing a Python package which is largely pure python but has 
a few C extensions.  I would like to create a single .pkg bundle that 
supports (at least) Python 2.2 framework and Python 2.3 framework in 
/Libraries.  I'm happy to build the extensions for the various Python 
distributions on my own machine.   What I'd like is for both the 
installation location and the choice of which extensions to use to be 
user selectable.  Does anyone know if this is possible, or should I 
just make multiple .pkg bundles?

This is a rather restricted problem in my case because I do have C 
extensions.  However, for pure Python modules, (at least until PyPI 
and/or pimp gets up to speed), this could be REALLY useful:  The 
installer could just present a list of Python distributions (found by 
searching?  hardwired? hardwired with a test for actual presence on the 
machine?) and the user could click on "Python 2.2 (Apple)", "Python 2.2 
(Framework)", "Python 2.2 (Fink)", or "Python 2.3 (Framework)"  etc.  
(OK, maybe we shouldn't mess with Fink.)

On the other hand, perhaps using the .pkg bundle format isn't 
appropriate for this task.  It does offer the advantage of being 
familiar to Mac OS X folks, but the possibility for user input may be 
none.  In that case, perhaps creating a custom installer application 
would do the trick.  It might be possible to build this into 2.3 
distutils (or 2.4 if it's too late), but because the need for this is 
now and the future promises to lessen the need, perhaps a standalone 
application with small footprint to replace Installer.app for this one 
job might be best.  In that case, does anyone know of any projects with 
an open-source Mac OS X installer application?

Cheers!
Andrew