[Python-Dev] addressing distutils inability to track file dependencies

[Alex Martelli]

On Friday 14 June 2002 01:20 pm, Fredrik Lundh wrote:
> alex wrote:
> > > cycles.  I still haven't found a way to get the damn thing to just
> > > build my extension and copy it to the current directory, so I can run
> > > the test scripts.
> >
> > I haven't even looked for such a way, since going to site-packages is
> > no problem for me.  If I was developing on a Python installation shared
> > by several users I'd no doubt feel differently about it.
>
> you only work on a single project too, I assume.

You know what they say about "assume"...?  In all fairness, I would say a 
substantial defect I have is to tend to try and juggle too MANY things at the 
same time.  "a single project", *INDEED*...!

> I tend to prefer not to install a broken extension in my machine's
> default install, in case I have to switch to another project...  (and
> switching between projects is all I seem to do these days ;-)

I guess it comes down to being a well-organized person.  I'm not, and a 
couple of imperfect extensions in various site-packages doesn't importantly 
increase the already-high entropy of my working environment.  Sure, it 
_would_ be even better if the extensions could be in some other 
distinguishable place until they're working -- but "the local directory" 
isn't such a place (no per-Python-version distinction in that case, and 
per-platform is also important -- I do most of my Windows work these days in 
a win4lin setup, same machine, disk, screen, &c, as my main Linux box -- 
ditto for cygwin inside that virtual Windows box inside that Linux box).


Alex