[Python-Dev] PEP 229: setup.py revised

[Guido van Rossum]

> On Fri, Jan 12, 2001 at 08:51:51AM -0500, Guido van Rossum wrote:
> >Ah.  It's very simple.  I create a directory "linux" as a subdirectory
> >of the Python source tree (i.e. at the same level as Lib, Objects,
> >etc.).  Then I chdir into that directory, and I say "../configure".
> >The configure script creates subdirectories to hold the object files ...
> >Then I say "make" and it builds Python.  
> 
> This doesn't work at all for me in my copy of the CVS tree.  Are there
> other steps or requirements to make this work.  (Transcript available
> upon request, but I suspect I'm missing something simple.)

You can't start doing this in a tree where you have already built
Python using the default way -- you have to use a pristine tree.  The
reason is the funny way Make's VPATH feature works, it sees the .o
files in the source directory and then thinks it doesn't have to creat
the .o file in the build directory.  I think a "make clobber" at the
top level would probably eradicate everything that confuses Make.

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)