[Python-Dev] [Distutils] FW: [issue2513] 64bit cross compilation on windows

["Martin v. Löwis"]

> Actually, I think it is slightly.  IIUC, the AMD64 build currently assumes
> it can execute x86 executables in various places.  To fix this, the build
> process for each of the platforms would be slightly different.

Why does that need fixing? The AMD64 build *can* execute x86 binaries,
whether it is performed on Win32 or Win64.

A problem only arises if the AMD64 build assumes that it can execute
AMD64 binaries, and it is a cross-compilation. As a consequence, we
must never execute the python.exe that we just built during the build
process.

>  My proposal
> would allow (eg) 'PCBuild\python.exe' or 'PCBuild\make_versioninfo.exe' to
> specified in build processes, with the knowledge it will work, regardless of
> what platform it is being run on.

No to python.exe, yes to make_versioninfo.exe. make_versioninfo.exe is
*always* an x86 binary, so it is always safe to execute on Windows.
If you tried to execute PCBuild\python.exe, it would break my builds:
I don't *have* x86 binaries in PCBuild when I cross-compile for AMD64.

Instead, I've changed the build process to run HOST_PYTHON if that is
set, and only fall back to PCBuild\python.exe if it isn't.

Regards,
Martin