[Python-Dev] python/dist/src setup.py,1.52,1.53

[Skip Montanaro]

    >> Does distutils have a way to grep a .h file for a certain string?
    >> I'm sure that we could come up with a suitable string to check for (a
    >> function or macro defined in recent curses versions but not in old
    >> curses versions); but I'd hate to have to write the test by hand.

    Martin> Even if it works, we may find that this approach causes the
    Martin> module not to be build on systems which would support it. 

Or it might be #ifdef'd into or out of existence.  Grep's just not going to
cut it.

    Martin> The problem is that curses.h may include other header files
    Martin> which contain the definition we are looking for. The only real
    Martin> test is the one that autoconf uses, i.e. AC_TRY_COMPILE.
    Martin> Supporting that in distutils is probably something that needs
    Martin> careful planning.

Part of that careful planning should be to evaluate the tradeoff between
making this work in setup.py and getting autoconf and friends to play on the
platforms we are interested in.

Skip