[Numpy-discussion] Avoiding distributing config.h in numpy.core ?

[David Cournapeau]

Hi,

   I spent the last WE trying to understand the whole numpy build 
process (all this related to my project of "sconsification" of numpy). 
One thing which I came across, and is a bit problematic is the fact that 
numpy/core build process relies on a config.h which is meant to be 
distributed (by distributed, I mean that the config,h is an installed 
file). Would a patch to remove config.h from the generated files be 
considered useful ? (this change would of course be 100 % backward 
compatible: it would be totally transparent to users of numpy headers).

   To be more precise: this config.h is obviously inspired by autoheader 
facilities, but the config.h generated by the autotools should not be 
distributed:

http://sourceware.org/autobook/autobook/autobook_96.html#SEC96

Incidently, the problems mentioned in the above link happen in numpy, 
where we conditionally define some symbols (various SIZEOF_*), because 
python itself does not follow the rule. A config.h should really only 
contains #define/#undef lines, nothing else; it would also avoid 
polluting the namespace (the config.h symbols should not be visible from 
users of numpy headers as they are now). Finally, this would also make 
the sconsification process easier,

cheers,

David