[Distutils] Cygwin Python DLL and Shared Extension Patch

[M.-A. Lemburg]

[This discussion doesn't really belong here... perhaps python-dev
 would be a better place ?!]

Jason Tishler wrote:
> 
> > I like the idea of being able to build Python
> > using cygwin tools on Windows. This opens new possibilities
> > for people who don't have access to a compiler on Windows.
> 
> I agreed and hope that people find at least some of my patch useful.
> Any suggestions on how to move forward?  Should I just redo the patch
> against Python CVS and submit it to the Patch Collector?  I was hoping
> to get some feedback before doing so.

If the patch allows compiling Python with cygwin tools, I think this
would be a valuable addition to the Python supported compiler
backends.

However a couple of things need to be tested:

* Does Python compile without warnings ?
* Does the patch interfere with any other compiler backends on the
  targetted platforms ?
* Does the compiled Python version pass the regression suite ?
* Are there any issues to be considered, e.g. wrt to licensing ?
* Is there enough documentation to allow the average user with some
  C background to setup a compiler environment which then compiles
  Python out of the box ?

More specifically:

* Since we already have a compiler backend on Windows, are there
  ways to enable/disable compiling a version which works together
  with MS VC compiled extensions ?

Anyway, I don't see any reason why not to upload the patches
to SF -- they will get more visibility there than in this
forum.
 
> > BTW, do the extensions build using cygwin also work with the
> > stock Python 2.0 installation ? AFAIR there have been a few
> > problems with this in the past.
> 
> Some extensions built with Cygwin will, mine won't.  My extensions are
> standard Cygwin DLLs not to be confused with extensions built with
> mingw or with Cygwin using the -mno-cygwin option.  They are linked
> with a Cygwin Python import library and not the stock Win32 Python one.
> They are also dependent on the Cygwin POSIX emulation DLL, cygwin1.dll.

Ok. So there's a gotcha in there which needs to be highlighted.

-- 
Marc-Andre Lemburg
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