[Python-Dev] PEP 273 - Import from Zip Archives

[Gordon McMillan]

On 28 Feb 2002 at 12:02, James C. Ahlstrom wrote:

> The real problem isn't the string module, it is the
> os module.  Any importer will need this.  The usual
> hack is to duplicate its logic in the my_importer
> module. That is, the selection of the correct
> builtin os functions. 

getpath.c has to invent the same filesystem 
primitives, since it runs before builtins are loaded.
 
> And MAL's point that you need a C importer to import
> your Python importer is inescapable.

Everybody has the same bootstrap problem.

> And suppose the whole Python library is in a zip
> file? You must have additional C code to extract
> and load your Python importer as well as the modules
> it imports. 

Right. Primitives have to come from somewhere.
 
> It seems to me that the correct solution is to use
> the C importer to import the my_importer Python
> module, plus all the imports that my_importer needs.
>  Then you switch to resolving imports with
> my_importer.py. Something like this is already in
> my import.c patch. 

Which is what almost everybody does, the 
exception being macPython. They use resources
a lot, and most of the import extensions are built
in at a very low level.
 
> I don't think this discussion should hold up
> installing my zip import patches. 

Not at all. Getting zip files onto sys.path is
a very good thing.

-- Gordon
http://www.mcmillan-inc.com/