[SciPy-dev] Windows build, possible problem with scipy_distutils MinGW support

[Brett G. Olivier]

Hi

I have been trying to build scipy on win2k (Python 2.3, scipy cvs ver.
'0.2.1_252.4501') using MinGW. One problem in the build process is a
strange call to a program "g" when building the cluster module (the other
is a problem building the specfun library), a possible solution can be
found by making a change in scipy_distutils: mingw32_support.py

As far as the cluster build problem is concerned: compiling scipy with
"python setup.py build --compiler=mingw32"

results in the following error:

"g -shared build\temp.win32-2.3\Release\lib\cluster\src\vq_wrap.o
-Lc:\python23\libs -Lc:\python23\PCBuild -Lbuild\temp.win32-2.3 -lpython23
-lrootfind -lc_misc-lcephes -o build\lib.win32-2.3\scipy\cluster\_vq.pyd
error: command 'g' failed: No such file or directory"

I have tracked down the probable source of this problem in
mingw32_support.py:

Line 96: self.compiler_cxx = 'g++'

If I understand it correctly MinGW uses python distutils UnixCCompiler
which in unixccompiler.py has:

Line 174: if target_lang == "c++" and self.compiler_cxx:
Line 175:     linker[0] = self.compiler_cxx[0]

I think this is the source of the phantom "g" call. In mingw32_support.py
altering Line 96:

Line 96: self.compiler_cxx = 'g++'
Line 96: self.compiler_cxx = ['g++']

seems to sort this problem out.

I'm not at all sure if this is a proper solution to this problem or not, 
any comments or questions are more than welcome.

Best regards
Brett

-- 
Brett G. Olivier  (bgoli at sun  ac  za)

Biochemistry Dept, Stellenbosch University
Tel: +27-21-8085871    Fax: +27-218085863