[Python-Dev] Windows package for new SSL package?

[Paul Moore]

On 13/09/2007, David Bolen <db3l.net at gmail.com> wrote:
> "Mark Hammond" <mhammond at skippinet.com.au> writes:
>
> > It might be possible to try and use build_ssl.py to locate the openssl
> > directory, but this will still require that someone building it has Python
> > built from source - I'm fairly sure that someone installing a Python binary
> > will not have build_ssl.py, nor are they likely to have a suitable openssl
> > directory or installation just "hanging around" either.
>
> Yep - even if a Windows user has an appropriate development
> environment in general (and can build most standalone extensions with
> just a binary Python install), as you say the odds are pretty small
> they'd have an OpenSSL source tree around, with libraries built.

It is possible to build extensions on Windows using the mingw gcc
toolchain. Users doing this may well have some or all of the gnuwin32
(http://gnuwin32.sf.net) utilities installed. Gnuwin32 includes
openssl (both headers, link libraries, and DLLs).

It seems to me a perfectly reasonable option for someone wanting to
build the SSL extension to grab mingw and gnuwin32 openssl.

I tried building with this config last night, but didn't have the time
to deal with hacking the setup.py - I see someone else has covered
this. I'll have another go with the new version when I get a chance.

> At the same time, I suspect that only a small percentage of Windows
> users will want to rebuild the extension - rather they'll just want a
> binary installer, something not uncommon to be published for Windows
> users of many extension modules.  So that pushes the problem upstream
> a bit where having a Python development tree might be more common or
> familiar.

Agreed. I assume Windows binary builds will be published, so it's only
early adopters, or people who want to work with their own builds for
some other reason, who might care.

Paul.