[Python-ideas] A standard location for Python configuration files.

[Daniel Fetchinson]

> Hello,
>
> As discussed in issue #7175 and on irc, I would like to propose the
> addition of a new function called 'getuserconfig' in site.py.
>
> This function will return the path to a directory that will contain
> configuration files for Python.
>
> The name I am suggesting for the path of the folder is:   ~/.python
>
> with an alternative location for win32 : ~/python
>
> This win32 alternative is proposed to avoid the fact that it's not
> possible in some flavors of windows to manually create a
> folder that starts with a dot when using file graphical browser.
> That's disturbing for end users.
>
> This will be used by Distutils to gather the configuration files it
> uses right now ([py]distutils.cfg and pypirc) and gently deprecate the
> old location (~)
>
> I am bringing this discussion to python-ideas to make sure those are
> the best choices, and to propose ~/[.]python as the new standard
> location for any user configuration file Python currently uses or
> might use in the future.

What configuration files exactly do you think will be stored in this
location in the future (other than the ones for distutils)? In let's
say today's python 2.5 or 2.6 what config files would you put there if
this capability would be there currently?

Cheers,
Daniel

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