[Python-Dev] setup.py and cross-compiling

[Ed Swierk]

I'm cross-compiling Python using uClibc buildroot, which installs target include
files and libraries to a directory like ~/toolchain rather than /usr.  I
couldn't figure out any way to convincing the top-level python/setup.py to look
in ~/toolchain instead of /usr when detecting what modules to build.  

I decided to hack up setup.py so that an optional root directory (passed via an
environment variable) is prepended to all the hardcoded paths like
"/usr/include", "/lib", "/lib64", and so on.

Am I missing an easier solution to this problem?  I'm happy to post my patch to
setup.py if anyone is interested.

--Ed