[Distutils] Static metadata using setup.cfg

[Ronald Oussoren]

On 8 Sep, 2009, at 10:18, Chris Withers wrote:

> Ronald Oussoren wrote:
>> I have a number of packages where the only logic on setup.py is set  
>> flags based on the python version or OS. Examples:
>> * depend on pysqlite in old versions of python where sqlite wasn't  
>> in the stdlib
>
> <mini rant>
> If Python had a packaging system *and* used it for the standard  
> library, then things like this wouldn't be a problem...
> The setup.cfg could just say "requires sqlite greater than version  
> x.y.z", and if it was in the standard library, it would be used  
> unless a newer version was needed. It would also mean it would be  
> possible to release bug fix versions of the standard library  
> packages without having to roll a whole python release.

Yes, it is sad that only wsgiref is included in the stdlib with an egg- 
info file.

> Better yet, since "python" should be a package as far as the  
> packaging system is concerned, library versions can just say what  
> versions of python they work with.

I like this idea, adding this to distutils and setuptools should be  
easy enough as well.

> </rant>
>
>> It would be nice if those could be expressed in a setup.cfg(.in)  
>> file, because that way to can introspect these packages without  
>> having to execute a setup.py file.
>
> No, you just have to execute setup.cfg instead :-(

Yes, but I'd be much happier about exanding a template than executing  
some arbitrary python code.  You obviously have to trust the author  
when you actually install and use the package, but it would be nice if  
one could extract useful information from a package before doing that.
>
> For me, setup.cfg should contain static stuff like name,  
> description, url and dependencies. Anything else that varies like  
> this can and should be in setup.py. We already have a fantastic  
> scripting language, why coem up with another one?

Because static stuff is not always completely static.

Ronald
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