[Python-Dev] addressing distutils inability to track file dependencies

[Skip Montanaro]

    >> I wonder if it would be better to have distutils generate the
    >> appropriate type of makefile and execute that instead...

    Guido> But that doesn't work for platforms that don't have a Make.  And
    Guido> while Windows has one, its file format is completely different,
    Guido> so you'd have to teach distutils how to write each platform's
    Guido> Makefile format.

I don't see that writing different makefile formats is any harder than
writing different shell commands.  On those systems where you don't have a
make-like tool, either distutils already writes compile and link commands or
it doesn't work at all.  On those systems where you do have a make-like
facility, I see no reason to not use it.  You will get more reliable
dependency checking for one thing.

Skip