[Python-Dev] VC++ 2008 Express Edition now locked away?

[Terry Reedy]

On 3/6/2013 12:29 PM, Steve Dower wrote:
> From: Case Van Horsen

>> The "Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1"
>> is still available for download. It includes the command line compilers that are
>> used with VS 2008. I have used to create extensions for Python 2.6 to 3.2.
>> There is a later version of the SDK (for .NET
>> 4.x) that includes the compilers from VS 2010.
>
> This is the same response that I got internally.
>
> The download link is
 > http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=3138
 > and you can choose to only download and install the compilers.

The C++ compiler appears to the the full compiler that will build both 
32 and 64 bits apps. Will downloading just the compiler(s) allow one to 
build Python with the project files in PCBuild or does something else 
need to be checked also?

>> To use the SDK compiler, you need to do a few manual steps first.
>>
>> After starting a command window, you need to run a batch file to configure
>> your environment. Choose the appropriate option from
>>
>> C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\bin\vcvars64.bat
>>
>> or
>>
>> C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\bin\vcvars32.bat
>>
>> Then set two environment variables:
>>
>> set MSSdk=1
>> set DISTUTILS_USE_SDK=1
>>
>> After these steps, the standard python setup.py install should work.

This may be fine for building extensions, but it appears that more 
instructions are needed for a novice to build python itself.

Following the instruction in the developer's guide,
http://docs.python.org/devguide/setup.html#windows
I was able to download and install vc express, double click on 
<branch_dir>/PCBuild/pcbuild.sln to bring up the VS GUI, and use the 
menu to build a debug version of that branch. The new python is put in 
the same directory and can be run with another menu selection. Any 
alternate path should be that easy too.

-- 
Terry Jan Reedy