[Distutils] Fortran compiler (updated SF patch)

[Pearu Peterson]

On Wed, 5 Jun 2002, M.-A. Lemburg wrote:

> eremy Hylton wrote:
> >>>>>>"PP" == Pearu Peterson <pearu@cens.ioc.ee> writes:
> >>>>>
> > 
> >   PP> For your information, the module scipy_distutils from the SciPy
> >   PP> (www.scipy.org) package extends distutils quite a bit: it
> >   PP> provides definitions for a dozen of Fortran 77/90/95 compilers
> >   PP> from different vendors, it supports compilation of Fortran
> >   PP> sources and building (automatically generated) extension modules
> >   PP> to wrap Fortran and C libraries, etc.
> 
> Wouldn't it be a good idea to move some of those into the
> distutils core ?

Additing Fortran stuff to distutils would mean that somebody must also
maintain it. Currently, I think, scipy is most active in using Fortran
stuff in Python and therefore ideal also for maintaining these hooks.

But on the other hand, Fortran stuff in scipy_distutils is generic in
the sense that it can be used in other projects as well (and indeed,
scipy_distutils is used separately from scipy already). So, ideal
place for Fortran stuff would be in the standard distutils, IMHO.

However, there might be some voices against adding Fortran stuff to
distutils core. See the thread starting at

http://mail.python.org/pipermail/distutils-sig/2001-August/002569.html   

I would volunteer to work with moving Fortran stuff to distutils provided
that it will not be too painful -- due to relatively low interest in
Fortran among Python users and developers I am a bit afraid to hit my
head against a wall for nothing.

Regards,
	Pearu