[Python-Dev] Backporting the 3.5+ Windows build project files to 2.7

[Steve Dower]

M.-A. Lemburg wrote:
> For VS 2008 we now have a long-term solution thanks to MS.

Without the change to the project files, the compiler at http://aka.ms/vcpython27 isn't sufficient to build Python itself. In theory, with even more patching to the projects (or otherwise making up for the fact that the linked compiler doesn't include the platform toolset files so that MSBuild can find/use it), we may be able to make Python 2.7 buildable with that compiler and any version of MSBuild. Currently we have to build via pcbuild.sln, which requires a full Visual Studio 2008 installation (or Express for C++).

This also makes it more viable to use the Windows SDK compilers. If you install the Windows SDK 7.0 (which includes MSVC9) and Windows SDK 7.1 (which includes the platform toolset files for MSVC9 - toolsets were invented later than the 7.0 release) then you should be able to build from the command line or any version of Visual Studio from 2010 onwards.

> The same is not true for VS 2010 (download links are not official anymore), so we'd
> complicate things again by requiring the mixed compiler setup.

VS 2010 Express editions are still linked at the bottom of https://www.visualstudio.com/en-us/products/visual-studio-express-vs.aspx, though they appear to be protected behind a Microsoft account login (apparently so we can offer you the latest/greatest tools you have access to and not just the link you followed). Visual Studio 2013 Express for Desktop should also work (I'll be testing that as soon as I get a chance).

Cheers,
Steve