What is this, and how can I get rid of it?
cory@cory2k ~/cvs/Twisted $ python setup.py build -c mingw32 running build running build_py running build_ext error: Python was built with version 6 of Visual Studio, and extensions need to be built with the same version of the compiler, but it isn't installed.
I had no problems building these extensions on Python 2.2 following the instructions at http://sebsauvage.net/python/mingw.html . I did the same thing substituting 2.3 for 2.2, and got the message above.
Why doesn't it work any more? --compiler=mingw32 is still valid on the command line.
We added an extra sanity check that was intended to guard against someone using a Python built with MSVC 6, say, and a DLL built with MSVC 7. The sanity check is that distutils finds out what compiler was used to build Python, and won't compile extensions with anything else. (I think I added this code.) When I was working on this, I was not even aware of the --compiler option. I don't know how dangerous it is to use DLLs from one compiler with a Python from a different compiler. I believe David Abrahams was involved in those discussions, and I've seen him here; perhaps he can offer an explanation. Assuming it is safe to change compilers, it sounds like we need a patch to get 2.3 distutils working with custom compilers. I've never used a compiler other than MSVC on Windows, so I can't be of much help. I can merely confirm it doesn't break things for MSVC. Jeremy