Python distutils build problems with MinGW
 

Hi,

I've made a similar post on the Cython mailing list, however I think
this is more python-specific. I'm having trouble setting up distutils
to use MinGW instead of Visual Studio when building a module. Even tho
I've just uninstalled VS, and cleared out any leftover VS environment
variables, distutils keeps wanting to use it.

The steps I took:

Fresh installation of Python 3.1.1
Successfully installed MinGW, added to the path variable (gcc in
command prompt works)
Successfully installed Cython, imports from Cython in Python work.
Added a distutils.cfg file in \Python31\Lib\distutils\ directory with:

[build]
compiler=mingw32

(also tried adding [build_ext] compiler=mingw32)

There's a demo setup.py module that came with Cython, I tried the
following commands:

----------------------------------------------------
> python setup.py build_ext --inplace

error: Unable to find vcvarsall.bat

> python setup.py build

error: Unable to find vcvarsall.bat
----------------------------------------------------

I'm having the exact same issue with trying to build the Polygon
library via MinGW. In fact, the reason I had installed Visual Studio
in the first place was to be able to build the Polygon library, since
I was having these errors.

What do I need to do to make distutils/python use MinGW?

Re: Python distutils build problems with MinGW
 

On Feb 1, 2:59*am, Andrej Mitrovic <andrej.mitrov...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I've made a similar post on the Cython mailing list, however I think
> this is more python-specific. I'm having trouble setting up distutils
> to use MinGW instead of Visual Studio when building a module. Even tho
> I've just uninstalled VS, and cleared out any leftover VS environment
> variables, distutils keeps wanting to use it.
>
> The steps I took:
>
> Fresh installation of Python 3.1.1
> Successfully installed MinGW, added to the path variable (gcc in
> command prompt works)
> Successfully installed Cython, imports from Cython in Python work.
> Added a distutils.cfg file in \Python31\Lib\distutils\ directory with:
>
> [build]
> compiler=mingw32
>
> (also tried adding [build_ext] compiler=mingw32)
>
> There's a demo setup.py module that came with Cython, I tried the
> following commands:
>
> ----------------------------------------------------
>
> > python setup.py build_ext --inplace
>
> error: Unable to find vcvarsall.bat
>
> > python setup.py build
>
> error: Unable to find vcvarsall.bat
> ----------------------------------------------------
>
> I'm having the exact same issue with trying to build the Polygon
> library via MinGW. In fact, the reason I had installed Visual Studio
> in the first place was to be able to build the Polygon library, since
> I was having these errors.
>
> What do I need to do to make distutils/python use MinGW?

Update:

I installed and tried building with Python 2.6, it calls MinGW when I
have the distutils.cfg file configured properly (same configuration as
the Python 3.1.1 one)

But why doesn't it work on a fresh Python 3.1.1 installation as well?
Is this a bug?

Re: Python distutils build problems with MinGW
 

On Feb 1, 4:03*am, Andrej Mitrovic <andrej.mitrov...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Feb 1, 2:59*am, Andrej Mitrovic <andrej.mitrov...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > Hi,
>
> > I've made a similar post on the Cython mailing list, however I think
> > this is more python-specific. I'm having trouble setting up distutils
> > to use MinGW instead of Visual Studio when building a module. Even tho
> > I've just uninstalled VS, and cleared out any leftover VS environment
> > variables, distutils keeps wanting to use it.
>
> > The steps I took:
>
> > Fresh installation of Python 3.1.1
> > Successfully installed MinGW, added to the path variable (gcc in
> > command prompt works)
> > Successfully installed Cython, imports from Cython in Python work.
> > Added a distutils.cfg file in \Python31\Lib\distutils\ directory with:
>
> > [build]
> > compiler=mingw32
>
> > (also tried adding [build_ext] compiler=mingw32)
>
> > There's a demo setup.py module that came with Cython, I tried the
> > following commands:
>
> > ----------------------------------------------------
>
> > > python setup.py build_ext --inplace
>
> > error: Unable to find vcvarsall.bat
>
> > > python setup.py build
>
> > error: Unable to find vcvarsall.bat
> > ----------------------------------------------------
>
> > I'm having the exact same issue with trying to build the Polygon
> > library via MinGW. In fact, the reason I had installed Visual Studio
> > in the first place was to be able to build the Polygon library, since
> > I was having these errors.
>
> > What do I need to do to make distutils/python use MinGW?
>
> Update:
>
> I installed and tried building with Python 2.6, it calls MinGW when I
> have the distutils.cfg file configured properly (same configuration as
> the Python 3.1.1 one)
>
> But why doesn't it work on a fresh Python 3.1.1 installation as well?
> Is this a bug?

Also tried calling (Python 3.1.1):

----------------------------------------------------
python setup.py build --compiler=mingw32

error: Unable to find vcvarsall.bat
----------------------------------------------------

I've tried using pexports and the dlltool to build new python31.def
and libpython31.a files, and put them in the libs folder. That didn't
work either.

I've also tried adding some print statements in the \distutils\dist.py
file, in the parse_config_files() function, just to see if Python
properly parses the config file. And it does, both Python 2.6 and 3.1
parse the distutils.cfg file properly. Yet something is making python
3 look for the VS/VC compiler instead of MinGW. I'll keep updating on
any progres..

Re: Python distutils build problems with MinGW
 

On Feb 1, 8:31*am, Andrej Mitrovic <andrej.mitrov...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Feb 1, 4:03*am, Andrej Mitrovic <andrej.mitrov...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Feb 1, 2:59*am, Andrej Mitrovic <andrej.mitrov...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > Hi,
>
> > > I've made a similar post on the Cython mailing list, however I think
> > > this is more python-specific. I'm having trouble setting up distutils
> > > to use MinGW instead of Visual Studio when building a module. Even tho
> > > I've just uninstalled VS, and cleared out any leftover VS environment
> > > variables, distutils keeps wanting to use it.
>
> > > The steps I took:
>
> > > Fresh installation of Python 3.1.1
> > > Successfully installed MinGW, added to the path variable (gcc in
> > > command prompt works)
> > > Successfully installed Cython, imports from Cython in Python work.
> > > Added a distutils.cfg file in \Python31\Lib\distutils\ directory with:
>
> > > [build]
> > > compiler=mingw32
>
> > > (also tried adding [build_ext] compiler=mingw32)
>
> > > There's a demo setup.py module that came with Cython, I tried the
> > > following commands:
>
> > > ----------------------------------------------------
>
> > > > python setup.py build_ext --inplace
>
> > > error: Unable to find vcvarsall.bat
>
> > > > python setup.py build
>
> > > error: Unable to find vcvarsall.bat
> > > ----------------------------------------------------
>
> > > I'm having the exact same issue with trying to build the Polygon
> > > library via MinGW. In fact, the reason I had installed Visual Studio
> > > in the first place was to be able to build the Polygon library, since
> > > I was having these errors.
>
> > > What do I need to do to make distutils/python use MinGW?
>
> > Update:
>
> > I installed and tried building with Python 2.6, it calls MinGW when I
> > have the distutils.cfg file configured properly (same configuration as
> > the Python 3.1.1 one)
>
> > But why doesn't it work on a fresh Python 3.1.1 installation as well?
> > Is this a bug?
>
> Also tried calling (Python 3.1.1):
>
> ----------------------------------------------------
> python setup.py build --compiler=mingw32
>
> error: Unable to find vcvarsall.bat
> ----------------------------------------------------
>
> I've tried using pexports and the dlltool to build new python31.def
> and libpython31.a files, and put them in the libs folder. That didn't
> work either.
>
> I've also tried adding some print statements in the \distutils\dist.py
> file, in the parse_config_files() function, just to see if Python
> properly parses the config file. And it does, both Python 2.6 and 3.1
> parse the distutils.cfg file properly. Yet something is making python
> 3 look for the VS/VC compiler instead of MinGW. I'll keep updating on
> any progres..- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I think this is http://bugs.python.org/issue6377.

I applied the patch to my local copy of Python 3.1 and it seems to
work.

casevh

Re: Python distutils build problems with MinGW
 

I've found the problem:

For the windows Python 3.1.1 x86 installation, the file \Python31\Lib
\Distutils\command\build_ext.py, has this:

Line 313:

self.compiler = new_compiler(compiler=None,

But Python 2.6 has this line:

Line 306:

self.compiler = new_compiler(compiler=self.compiler,



I've changed the Python 3.1.1 \Python31\Lib\Distutils\command
\build_ext.py, Line 313 to this:

self.compiler = new_compiler(compiler=self.compiler,

And now MinGW gets properly called in Python 3.1.1. I think this must
have been a typo.


Is there anyone else that can confirm this?

The installation that distributes the file with that line is from this
Python ftp link: http://python.org/ftp/python/3.1.1/python-3.1.1.msi

Re: Python distutils build problems with MinGW
 

On Feb 1, 5:44*pm, casevh <cas...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Feb 1, 8:31*am, Andrej Mitrovic <andrej.mitrov...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Feb 1, 4:03*am, Andrej Mitrovic <andrej.mitrov...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > On Feb 1, 2:59*am, Andrej Mitrovic <andrej.mitrov...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > > Hi,
>
> > > > I've made a similar post on the Cython mailing list, however I think
> > > > this is more python-specific. I'm having trouble setting up distutils
> > > > to use MinGW instead of Visual Studio when building a module. Even tho
> > > > I've just uninstalled VS, and cleared out any leftover VS environment
> > > > variables, distutils keeps wanting to use it.
>
> > > > The steps I took:
>
> > > > Fresh installation of Python 3.1.1
> > > > Successfully installed MinGW, added to the path variable (gcc in
> > > > command prompt works)
> > > > Successfully installed Cython, imports from Cython in Python work.
> > > > Added a distutils.cfg file in \Python31\Lib\distutils\ directory with:
>
> > > > [build]
> > > > compiler=mingw32
>
> > > > (also tried adding [build_ext] compiler=mingw32)
>
> > > > There's a demo setup.py module that came with Cython, I tried the
> > > > following commands:
>
> > > > ----------------------------------------------------
>
> > > > > python setup.py build_ext --inplace
>
> > > > error: Unable to find vcvarsall.bat
>
> > > > > python setup.py build
>
> > > > error: Unable to find vcvarsall.bat
> > > > ----------------------------------------------------
>
> > > > I'm having the exact same issue with trying to build the Polygon
> > > > library via MinGW. In fact, the reason I had installed Visual Studio
> > > > in the first place was to be able to build the Polygon library, since
> > > > I was having these errors.
>
> > > > What do I need to do to make distutils/python use MinGW?
>
> > > Update:
>
> > > I installed and tried building with Python 2.6, it calls MinGW when I
> > > have the distutils.cfg file configured properly (same configuration as
> > > the Python 3.1.1 one)
>
> > > But why doesn't it work on a fresh Python 3.1.1 installation as well?
> > > Is this a bug?
>
> > Also tried calling (Python 3.1.1):
>
> > ----------------------------------------------------
> > python setup.py build --compiler=mingw32
>
> > error: Unable to find vcvarsall.bat
> > ----------------------------------------------------
>
> > I've tried using pexports and the dlltool to build new python31.def
> > and libpython31.a files, and put them in the libs folder. That didn't
> > work either.
>
> > I've also tried adding some print statements in the \distutils\dist.py
> > file, in the parse_config_files() function, just to see if Python
> > properly parses the config file. And it does, both Python 2.6 and 3.1
> > parse the distutils.cfg file properly. Yet something is making python
> > 3 look for the VS/VC compiler instead of MinGW. I'll keep updating on
> > any progres..- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> I think this ishttp://bugs.python.org/issue6377.
>
> I applied the patch to my local copy of Python 3.1 and it seems to
> work.
>
> casevh

Thanks for the link, it seems like it's got more to do than what I
just posted. But in any case, it works for me now.

I think I'll have to open myself a blog and post some guides for
problems like these, so people can avoid spending whole nights around
a problem like this. :)

Re: Python distutils build problems with MinGW
 

Well, in any case this seems to be working ok for me now.