[Python-Dev] next vs darwin

[Steven Majewski]

On 30 Jan 2002, Martin v. Loewis wrote:

> > The other thing that's been discussed is adding configure
> > support to build with the dlopen compatability libs if
> > that is available.
>
> Can you please explain what that would provide to module users or end
> users? Would there be additional modules available that otherwise
> wouldn't be available? If not, I don't think that this option should
> be provided.

dlcompat libs are used by Apple to build Apache and some other programs.
The libs are not included in Mac OSX, although the sources are available
in the Darwin CVS, and an improved version is distributed on Fink and
maybe other places. Since additional libs are required, I would not
make that the default. ( unless, since there's already a check for
libdl in config, we make it dependent on that. )

The problem is that  the current dynload_next is broken, and we've
had some problems replicating tests and solutions because, among other
problems, of the very poor error reporting in dynload_next, everyone
is starting from a differently hacked version of the 2.2 distribution.
(The other variable is which modules and packages people are loading.)

Reportedly, using the dlcompat libs fixes some problems for some people.

Obviously, the best solution would be an even better dynload_darwin
that fixes all of the problems. But it the interim, I'ld like to
at least get everone debugging from the same baseline.

If there's a string objection to adding optional libdl support,
I can live without that. Adding it would just make it easier for
folks to test that configuration and build.

Getting a less broken dynload module is probably more important.

-- Steve.