[Distutils] Question about DOS/Windows static libs

[Greg Ward]

Hi all --

a question for the Windows crowd: in the current distutils MSVCCompiler
class, the 'link_static_lib()' method takes arguments for libraries and
library search directories -- this implies that, when building static
libraries under Windows, the library-building tool needs to be told
which other libraries this one depends on, and where to find them.

This is different from the Unix world, where a static library just has
dangling references that are resolved at link-time.  This also differs
from the "canonical compiler interface" defined by the CCompiler class;
so, if it is needed on Windows, I'll have to change this canonical
interface.

So: is this true?  Does a static library under Windows need to be built
with library and library search directories?  Or is this an unnecessary
appendage that can be jettisoned?

(Yep, I'm on a simplify-the-code vendetta this weekend...)

        Greg
-- 
Greg Ward - just another Python hacker                  gward@python.net
http://starship.python.net/~gward/
Cheops' Law: Nothing *ever* gets built on schedule or within budget.