[Python-Dev] Using SCons for cross-compilation

skip at pobox.com skip at pobox.com
Thu Nov 9 20:54:37 CET 2006


    >> Could SCons replace distutils?

    Chris> If SCons replaced Distutils would SCons have to become part of
    Chris> Python?  Is SCons ready for that?  What do you do about the
    Chris> existing body 3rd party extensions that are already using
    Chris> Distutils?

Sorry, my question was ambiguous.  Let me rephrase it: Could SCons replace
distutils as the way to build extension modules delivered with Python
proper?

In answer to your quesions:

 * Yes, I believe so.

 * I have no idea what SCons is ready for.

 * I assume distutils would continue to ship with Python, so existing
   distutils-based setup.py install scripts should continue to work.

Someone (I don't know who) submitted a patch to use SCons for building
modules in cross-compilation contexts.  Either the author tried to shoehorn
this into distutils and failed or never tried (maybe because using SCons for
such takss is much easier - who knows?).  I assume that if the patch is
accepted that SCons would have to be bundled with Python.  I don't see that
as a big problem as long as there's someone to support it and it meets the
basic requirements for inclusion (significant user base, documentation, test
cases, release form).  Given that SCons can apparently be coaxed into
cross-compiling extension modules, I presume it should be relatively simple
to do the same in a normal compilation environment.  If that's the case,
then why use distutils to build Python's core extension modules at all?

Skip


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