"M.-A. Lemburg" wrote:
Peter Funk wrote:
[M.-A. Lemburg]:
Proposal: The future format (Python 1.6 and newer) of a .pyc file should be as follows:
bytes 0-3 a new magic number, which should be definitely frozen in 1.6. bytes 4-7 a version number (which should be == 1 in Python 1.6) bytes 8-11 timestamp (mtime of .py file) (same as earlier) bytes 12-* marshalled code object (same as earlier)
<snip/>
A different approach to all this would be fixing only the first two bytes of the magic word, e.g.
byte 0: 'P' byte 1: 'Y' byte 2: version number (counting from 1) byte 3: option byte (8 bits: one for each option; bit 0: -U cmd switch)
This would be b/w compatible and still provide file(1) with enough information to be able to tell the file type.
I think this approach is simple and powerful enough to survive Py3000. Peter's approach is of course nicer and cleaner from a "redo from scratch" point of view. But then, I'd even vote for a better format that includes another field which names the header size explicitly. For simplicity, comapibility and ease of change, I vote with +1 for adopting the solution of byte 0: 'P' byte 1: 'Y' byte 2: version number (counting from 1) byte 3: option byte (8 bits: one for each option; bit 0: -U cmd switch) If that turns out to be insufficient in some future, do a complete redesign. ciao - chris -- Christian Tismer :^) <mailto:tismer@appliedbiometrics.com> Applied Biometrics GmbH : Have a break! Take a ride on Python's Kaunstr. 26 : *Starship* http://starship.python.net 14163 Berlin : PGP key -> http://wwwkeys.pgp.net PGP Fingerprint E182 71C7 1A9D 66E9 9D15 D3CC D4D7 93E2 1FAE F6DF where do you want to jump today? http://www.stackless.com