[Python-Dev] Re: .DLL vs .PYD search order

[Mark Hammond]

> I see.  Thanks for the explanation. I didn't know the
> complete story of
> the "Windows DLL search path".  BTW, I think a huge difference b/w
> PYTHONPATH and PATH is the system-wide nature of PATH, vs. the
> Python-restriced nature of PYTHONPATH.

And more to the point - and the critical distinction - is that
PYTHONPATH is actually specific to the Python _app_, not just Python
on the machine.

Sure - the standard Python installation puts a "default" PYTHONPATH
suitable for general purpose development - but any distributed
application _can_ define their own PYTHONPATH that is independant of
any other Python systems or applications.  People have been doing this
for years, including MS :-)

Sorry Jim, but count this as another vote against it - which isnt to
argue that the current system is perfect, simply (IMO) better than the
Windows path and DLL search order.

Mark.