[Python-Dev] Improving bsddb detection in setup.py

[Barry A. Warsaw]

>>>>> "SM" == Skip Montanaro <skip@pobox.com> writes:

    SM> Back about the time 2.1.1 was in the throes of final release,
    SM> I submitted a patch to setup.py.  Thomas didn't want to apply
    SM> it that close to the release.  It's still sitting there:

    SM>
    SM> http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&aid=440725&group_id=5470&atid=105470

    SM> I'd like to see this or something like it get into the
    SM> distribution.  Sleepycat keeps changing file formats, so there
    SM> are now three incompatible versions of libdb out there.  It's
    SM> a pain in the tush making the switch.

    SM> I know there's another bsddb module floating around out there
    SM> as well.  If that turns out to be backward compatible with the
    SM> existing bsddb module, that would be okay too.  I think you're
    SM> always going to have to do a fancy dance in setup.py because
    SM> of the proliferation of incompatible versions of libdb.

Robin Dunn & Andrew Kuchling's PyBSDDB3

    pybsddb.sf.net

It claims to be a backwards compatible drop in for the default bsddb
module, supporting back to 1.85.  It's been On My List of things to
look at for a while now, but I just haven't had time.  I've used
PyBSDDB3 for some Zope/ZODB work and it seems quite stable.  I'd like
it to be the default for Python 2.2 if the backwards compatibility
works out acceptably.

-Barry