| .. _api-reference: | 
 |  | 
 | ************* | 
 | API Reference | 
 | ************* | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.core` --- Core Distutils functionality | 
 | ====================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.core | 
 |    :synopsis: The core Distutils functionality | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | The :mod:`distutils.core` module is the only module that needs to be installed | 
 | to use the Distutils. It provides the :func:`setup` (which is called from the | 
 | setup script). Indirectly provides the  :class:`distutils.dist.Distribution` and | 
 | :class:`distutils.cmd.Command` class. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: setup(arguments) | 
 |  | 
 |    The basic do-everything function that does most everything you could ever ask | 
 |    for from a Distutils method. | 
 |  | 
 |    The setup function takes a large number of arguments. These are laid out in the | 
 |    following table. | 
 |  | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | argument name      | value                          | type                                                        | | 
 |    +====================+================================+=============================================================+ | 
 |    | *name*             | The name of the package        | a string                                                    | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *version*          | The version number of the      | a string                                                    | | 
 |    |                    | package; see                   |                                                             | | 
 |    |                    | :mod:`distutils.version`       |                                                             | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *description*      | A single line describing the   | a string                                                    | | 
 |    |                    | package                        |                                                             | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *long_description* | Longer description of the      | a string                                                    | | 
 |    |                    | package                        |                                                             | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *author*           | The name of the package author | a string                                                    | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *author_email*     | The email address of the       | a string                                                    | | 
 |    |                    | package author                 |                                                             | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *maintainer*       | The name of the current        | a string                                                    | | 
 |    |                    | maintainer, if different from  |                                                             | | 
 |    |                    | the author                     |                                                             | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *maintainer_email* | The email address of the       | a string                                                    | | 
 |    |                    | current maintainer, if         |                                                             | | 
 |    |                    | different from the author      |                                                             | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *url*              | A URL for the package          | a string                                                    | | 
 |    |                    | (homepage)                     |                                                             | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *download_url*     | A URL to download the package  | a string                                                    | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *packages*         | A list of Python packages that | a list of strings                                           | | 
 |    |                    | distutils will manipulate      |                                                             | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *py_modules*       | A list of Python modules that  | a list of strings                                           | | 
 |    |                    | distutils will manipulate      |                                                             | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *scripts*          | A list of standalone script    | a list of strings                                           | | 
 |    |                    | files to be built and          |                                                             | | 
 |    |                    | installed                      |                                                             | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *ext_modules*      | A list of Python extensions to | a list of instances of                                      | | 
 |    |                    | be built                       | :class:`distutils.core.Extension`                           | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *classifiers*      | A list of categories for the   | a list of strings; valid classifiers are listed on `PyPI    | | 
 |    |                    | package                        | <http://pypi.python.org/pypi?:action=list_classifiers>`_.   | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *distclass*        | the :class:`Distribution`      | a subclass of                                               | | 
 |    |                    | class to use                   | :class:`distutils.core.Distribution`                        | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *script_name*      | The name of the setup.py       | a string                                                    | | 
 |    |                    | script - defaults to           |                                                             | | 
 |    |                    | ``sys.argv[0]``                |                                                             | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *script_args*      | Arguments to supply to the     | a list of strings                                           | | 
 |    |                    | setup script                   |                                                             | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *options*          | default options for the setup  | a dictionary                                                | | 
 |    |                    | script                         |                                                             | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *license*          | The license for the package    | a string                                                    | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *keywords*         | Descriptive meta-data, see     | a list of strings or a comma-separated string               | | 
 |    |                    | :pep:`314`                     |                                                             | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *platforms*        |                                | a list of strings or a comma-separated string               | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *cmdclass*         | A mapping of command names to  | a dictionary                                                | | 
 |    |                    | :class:`Command` subclasses    |                                                             | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *data_files*       | A list of data files to        | a list                                                      | | 
 |    |                    | install                        |                                                             | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *package_dir*      | A mapping of package to        | a dictionary                                                | | 
 |    |                    | directory names                |                                                             | | 
 |    +--------------------+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: run_setup(script_name[, script_args=None, stop_after='run']) | 
 |  | 
 |    Run a setup script in a somewhat controlled environment, and return  the | 
 |    :class:`distutils.dist.Distribution` instance that drives things.   This is | 
 |    useful if you need to find out the distribution meta-data  (passed as keyword | 
 |    args from *script* to :func:`setup`), or  the contents of the config files or | 
 |    command-line. | 
 |  | 
 |    *script_name* is a file that will be read and run with :func:`exec`.  ``sys.argv[0]`` | 
 |    will be replaced with *script* for the duration of the call.  *script_args* is a | 
 |    list of strings; if supplied, ``sys.argv[1:]`` will be replaced by *script_args* | 
 |    for the duration  of the call. | 
 |  | 
 |    *stop_after* tells :func:`setup` when to stop processing; possible  values: | 
 |  | 
 |    +---------------+---------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | value         | description                                 | | 
 |    +===============+=============================================+ | 
 |    | *init*        | Stop after the :class:`Distribution`        | | 
 |    |               | instance has been created  and populated    | | 
 |    |               | with the keyword arguments to :func:`setup` | | 
 |    +---------------+---------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *config*      | Stop after config files have been parsed    | | 
 |    |               | (and their data stored in the               | | 
 |    |               | :class:`Distribution` instance)             | | 
 |    +---------------+---------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *commandline* | Stop after the command-line                 | | 
 |    |               | (``sys.argv[1:]`` or  *script_args*) have   | | 
 |    |               | been parsed (and the data stored in the     | | 
 |    |               | :class:`Distribution` instance.)            | | 
 |    +---------------+---------------------------------------------+ | 
 |    | *run*         | Stop after all commands have been run (the  | | 
 |    |               | same as  if :func:`setup` had been called   | | 
 |    |               | in the usual way). This is the default      | | 
 |    |               | value.                                      | | 
 |    +---------------+---------------------------------------------+ | 
 |  | 
 | In addition, the :mod:`distutils.core` module exposed a number of  classes that | 
 | live elsewhere. | 
 |  | 
 | * :class:`~distutils.extension.Extension` from :mod:`distutils.extension` | 
 |  | 
 | * :class:`~distutils.cmd.Command` from :mod:`distutils.cmd` | 
 |  | 
 | * :class:`~distutils.dist.Distribution` from :mod:`distutils.dist` | 
 |  | 
 | A short description of each of these follows, but see the relevant module for | 
 | the full reference. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. class:: Extension | 
 |  | 
 |    The Extension class describes a single C or C++extension module in a setup | 
 |    script. It accepts the following keyword arguments in its constructor | 
 |  | 
 |    +------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------------+ | 
 |    | argument name          | value                          | type                      | | 
 |    +========================+================================+===========================+ | 
 |    | *name*                 | the full name of the           | a string                  | | 
 |    |                        | extension, including any       |                           | | 
 |    |                        | packages --- ie. *not* a       |                           | | 
 |    |                        | filename or pathname, but      |                           | | 
 |    |                        | Python dotted name             |                           | | 
 |    +------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------------+ | 
 |    | *sources*              | list of source filenames,      | a list of strings         | | 
 |    |                        | relative to the distribution   |                           | | 
 |    |                        | root (where the setup script   |                           | | 
 |    |                        | lives), in Unix form (slash-   |                           | | 
 |    |                        | separated) for portability.    |                           | | 
 |    |                        | Source files may be C, C++,    |                           | | 
 |    |                        | SWIG (.i), platform-specific   |                           | | 
 |    |                        | resource files, or whatever    |                           | | 
 |    |                        | else is recognized by the      |                           | | 
 |    |                        | :command:`build_ext` command   |                           | | 
 |    |                        | as source for a Python         |                           | | 
 |    |                        | extension.                     |                           | | 
 |    +------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------------+ | 
 |    | *include_dirs*         | list of directories to search  | a list of strings         | | 
 |    |                        | for C/C++ header files (in     |                           | | 
 |    |                        | Unix form for portability)     |                           | | 
 |    +------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------------+ | 
 |    | *define_macros*        | list of macros to define; each | a list of tuples          | | 
 |    |                        | macro is defined using a       |                           | | 
 |    |                        | 2-tuple ``(name, value)``,     |                           | | 
 |    |                        | where *value* is               |                           | | 
 |    |                        | either the string to define it |                           | | 
 |    |                        | to or ``None`` to define it    |                           | | 
 |    |                        | without a particular value     |                           | | 
 |    |                        | (equivalent of ``#define FOO`` |                           | | 
 |    |                        | in source or :option:`-DFOO`   |                           | | 
 |    |                        | on Unix C compiler command     |                           | | 
 |    |                        | line)                          |                           | | 
 |    +------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------------+ | 
 |    | *undef_macros*         | list of macros to undefine     | a list of strings         | | 
 |    |                        | explicitly                     |                           | | 
 |    +------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------------+ | 
 |    | *library_dirs*         | list of directories to search  | a list of strings         | | 
 |    |                        | for C/C++ libraries at link    |                           | | 
 |    |                        | time                           |                           | | 
 |    +------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------------+ | 
 |    | *libraries*            | list of library names (not     | a list of strings         | | 
 |    |                        | filenames or paths) to link    |                           | | 
 |    |                        | against                        |                           | | 
 |    +------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------------+ | 
 |    | *runtime_library_dirs* | list of directories to search  | a list of strings         | | 
 |    |                        | for C/C++ libraries at run     |                           | | 
 |    |                        | time (for shared extensions,   |                           | | 
 |    |                        | this is when the extension is  |                           | | 
 |    |                        | loaded)                        |                           | | 
 |    +------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------------+ | 
 |    | *extra_objects*        | list of extra files to link    | a list of strings         | | 
 |    |                        | with (eg. object files not     |                           | | 
 |    |                        | implied by 'sources', static   |                           | | 
 |    |                        | library that must be           |                           | | 
 |    |                        | explicitly specified, binary   |                           | | 
 |    |                        | resource files, etc.)          |                           | | 
 |    +------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------------+ | 
 |    | *extra_compile_args*   | any extra platform- and        | a list of strings         | | 
 |    |                        | compiler-specific information  |                           | | 
 |    |                        | to use when compiling the      |                           | | 
 |    |                        | source files in 'sources'. For |                           | | 
 |    |                        | platforms and compilers where  |                           | | 
 |    |                        | a command line makes sense,    |                           | | 
 |    |                        | this is typically a list of    |                           | | 
 |    |                        | command-line arguments, but    |                           | | 
 |    |                        | for other platforms it could   |                           | | 
 |    |                        | be anything.                   |                           | | 
 |    +------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------------+ | 
 |    | *extra_link_args*      | any extra platform- and        | a list of strings         | | 
 |    |                        | compiler-specific information  |                           | | 
 |    |                        | to use when linking object     |                           | | 
 |    |                        | files together to create the   |                           | | 
 |    |                        | extension (or to create a new  |                           | | 
 |    |                        | static Python interpreter).    |                           | | 
 |    |                        | Similar interpretation as for  |                           | | 
 |    |                        | 'extra_compile_args'.          |                           | | 
 |    +------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------------+ | 
 |    | *export_symbols*       | list of symbols to be exported | a list of strings         | | 
 |    |                        | from a shared extension. Not   |                           | | 
 |    |                        | used on all platforms, and not |                           | | 
 |    |                        | generally necessary for Python |                           | | 
 |    |                        | extensions, which typically    |                           | | 
 |    |                        | export exactly one symbol:     |                           | | 
 |    |                        | ``init`` + extension_name.     |                           | | 
 |    +------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------------+ | 
 |    | *depends*              | list of files that the         | a list of strings         | | 
 |    |                        | extension depends on           |                           | | 
 |    +------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------------+ | 
 |    | *language*             | extension language (i.e.       | a string                  | | 
 |    |                        | ``'c'``, ``'c++'``,            |                           | | 
 |    |                        | ``'objc'``). Will be detected  |                           | | 
 |    |                        | from the source extensions if  |                           | | 
 |    |                        | not provided.                  |                           | | 
 |    +------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------------+ | 
 |    | *optional*             | specifies that a build failure | a boolean                 | | 
 |    |                        | in the extension should not    |                           | | 
 |    |                        | abort the build process, but   |                           | | 
 |    |                        | simply skip the extension.     |                           | | 
 |    +------------------------+--------------------------------+---------------------------+ | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. class:: Distribution | 
 |  | 
 |    A :class:`Distribution` describes how to build, install and package up a Python | 
 |    software package. | 
 |  | 
 |    See the :func:`setup` function for a list of keyword arguments accepted  by the | 
 |    Distribution constructor. :func:`setup` creates a Distribution instance. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. class:: Command | 
 |  | 
 |    A :class:`Command` class (or rather, an instance of one of its subclasses) | 
 |    implement a single distutils command. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.ccompiler` --- CCompiler base class | 
 | =================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.ccompiler | 
 |    :synopsis: Abstract CCompiler class | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | This module provides the abstract base class for the :class:`CCompiler` | 
 | classes.  A :class:`CCompiler` instance can be used for all the compile  and | 
 | link steps needed to build a single project. Methods are provided to  set | 
 | options for the compiler --- macro definitions, include directories,  link path, | 
 | libraries and the like. | 
 |  | 
 | This module provides the following functions. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: gen_lib_options(compiler, library_dirs, runtime_library_dirs, libraries) | 
 |  | 
 |    Generate linker options for searching library directories and linking with | 
 |    specific libraries.  *libraries* and *library_dirs* are, respectively, lists of | 
 |    library names (not filenames!) and search directories.  Returns a list of | 
 |    command-line options suitable for use with some compiler (depending on the two | 
 |    format strings passed in). | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: gen_preprocess_options(macros, include_dirs) | 
 |  | 
 |    Generate C pre-processor options (:option:`-D`, :option:`-U`, :option:`-I`) as | 
 |    used by at least two types of compilers: the typical Unix compiler and Visual | 
 |    C++. *macros* is the usual thing, a list of 1- or 2-tuples, where ``(name,)`` | 
 |    means undefine (:option:`-U`) macro *name*, and ``(name, value)`` means define | 
 |    (:option:`-D`) macro *name* to *value*.  *include_dirs* is just a list of | 
 |    directory names to be added to the header file search path (:option:`-I`). | 
 |    Returns a list of command-line options suitable for either Unix compilers or | 
 |    Visual C++. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: get_default_compiler(osname, platform) | 
 |  | 
 |    Determine the default compiler to use for the given platform. | 
 |  | 
 |    *osname* should be one of the standard Python OS names (i.e. the ones returned | 
 |    by ``os.name``) and *platform* the common value returned by ``sys.platform`` for | 
 |    the platform in question. | 
 |  | 
 |    The default values are ``os.name`` and ``sys.platform`` in case the parameters | 
 |    are not given. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: new_compiler(plat=None, compiler=None, verbose=0, dry_run=0, force=0) | 
 |  | 
 |    Factory function to generate an instance of some CCompiler subclass for the | 
 |    supplied platform/compiler combination. *plat* defaults to ``os.name`` (eg. | 
 |    ``'posix'``, ``'nt'``), and *compiler*  defaults to the default compiler for | 
 |    that platform. Currently only ``'posix'`` and ``'nt'`` are supported, and the | 
 |    default compilers are "traditional Unix interface" (:class:`UnixCCompiler` | 
 |    class) and Visual C++ (:class:`MSVCCompiler` class).  Note that it's perfectly | 
 |    possible to ask for a Unix compiler object under Windows, and a Microsoft | 
 |    compiler object under Unix---if you supply a value for *compiler*, *plat* is | 
 |    ignored. | 
 |  | 
 |    .. % Is the posix/nt only thing still true? Mac OS X seems to work, and | 
 |    .. % returns a UnixCCompiler instance. How to document this... hmm. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: show_compilers() | 
 |  | 
 |    Print list of available compilers (used by the :option:`--help-compiler` options | 
 |    to :command:`build`, :command:`build_ext`, :command:`build_clib`). | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. class:: CCompiler([verbose=0, dry_run=0, force=0]) | 
 |  | 
 |    The abstract base class :class:`CCompiler` defines the interface that  must be | 
 |    implemented by real compiler classes.  The class also has  some utility methods | 
 |    used by several compiler classes. | 
 |  | 
 |    The basic idea behind a compiler abstraction class is that each instance can be | 
 |    used for all the compile/link steps in building a single project.  Thus, | 
 |    attributes common to all of those compile and link steps --- include | 
 |    directories, macros to define, libraries to link against, etc. --- are | 
 |    attributes of the compiler instance.  To allow for variability in how individual | 
 |    files are treated, most of those attributes may be varied on a per-compilation | 
 |    or per-link basis. | 
 |  | 
 |    The constructor for each subclass creates an instance of the Compiler object. | 
 |    Flags are *verbose* (show verbose output), *dry_run* (don't actually execute the | 
 |    steps) and *force* (rebuild everything, regardless of dependencies). All of | 
 |    these flags default to ``0`` (off). Note that you probably don't want to | 
 |    instantiate :class:`CCompiler` or one of its subclasses directly - use the | 
 |    :func:`distutils.CCompiler.new_compiler` factory function instead. | 
 |  | 
 |    The following methods allow you to manually alter compiler options for  the | 
 |    instance of the Compiler class. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.add_include_dir(dir) | 
 |  | 
 |       Add *dir* to the list of directories that will be searched for header files. | 
 |       The compiler is instructed to search directories in the order in which they are | 
 |       supplied by successive calls to :meth:`add_include_dir`. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.set_include_dirs(dirs) | 
 |  | 
 |       Set the list of directories that will be searched to *dirs* (a list of strings). | 
 |       Overrides any preceding calls to :meth:`add_include_dir`; subsequent calls to | 
 |       :meth:`add_include_dir` add to the list passed to :meth:`set_include_dirs`. | 
 |       This does not affect any list of standard include directories that the compiler | 
 |       may search by default. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.add_library(libname) | 
 |  | 
 |       Add *libname* to the list of libraries that will be included in all links driven | 
 |       by this compiler object.  Note that *libname* should \*not\* be the name of a | 
 |       file containing a library, but the name of the library itself: the actual | 
 |       filename will be inferred by the linker, the compiler, or the compiler class | 
 |       (depending on the platform). | 
 |  | 
 |       The linker will be instructed to link against libraries in the order they were | 
 |       supplied to :meth:`add_library` and/or :meth:`set_libraries`.  It is perfectly | 
 |       valid to duplicate library names; the linker will be instructed to link against | 
 |       libraries as many times as they are mentioned. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.set_libraries(libnames) | 
 |  | 
 |       Set the list of libraries to be included in all links driven by this compiler | 
 |       object to *libnames* (a list of strings).  This does not affect any standard | 
 |       system libraries that the linker may include by default. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.add_library_dir(dir) | 
 |  | 
 |       Add *dir* to the list of directories that will be searched for libraries | 
 |       specified to :meth:`add_library` and :meth:`set_libraries`.  The linker will be | 
 |       instructed to search for libraries in the order they are supplied to | 
 |       :meth:`add_library_dir` and/or :meth:`set_library_dirs`. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.set_library_dirs(dirs) | 
 |  | 
 |       Set the list of library search directories to *dirs* (a list of strings).  This | 
 |       does not affect any standard library search path that the linker may search by | 
 |       default. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.add_runtime_library_dir(dir) | 
 |  | 
 |       Add *dir* to the list of directories that will be searched for shared libraries | 
 |       at runtime. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.set_runtime_library_dirs(dirs) | 
 |  | 
 |       Set the list of directories to search for shared libraries at runtime to *dirs* | 
 |       (a list of strings).  This does not affect any standard search path that the | 
 |       runtime linker may search by default. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.define_macro(name[, value=None]) | 
 |  | 
 |       Define a preprocessor macro for all compilations driven by this compiler object. | 
 |       The optional parameter *value* should be a string; if it is not supplied, then | 
 |       the macro will be defined without an explicit value and the exact outcome | 
 |       depends on the compiler used. | 
 |  | 
 |       .. XXX true? does ANSI say anything about this? | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.undefine_macro(name) | 
 |  | 
 |       Undefine a preprocessor macro for all compilations driven by this compiler | 
 |       object.  If the same macro is defined by :meth:`define_macro` and | 
 |       undefined by :meth:`undefine_macro` the last call takes precedence | 
 |       (including multiple redefinitions or undefinitions).  If the macro is | 
 |       redefined/undefined on a per-compilation basis (ie. in the call to | 
 |       :meth:`compile`), then that takes precedence. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.add_link_object(object) | 
 |  | 
 |       Add *object* to the list of object files (or analogues, such as explicitly named | 
 |       library files or the output of "resource compilers") to be included in every | 
 |       link driven by this compiler object. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.set_link_objects(objects) | 
 |  | 
 |       Set the list of object files (or analogues) to be included in every link to | 
 |       *objects*.  This does not affect any standard object files that the linker may | 
 |       include by default (such as system libraries). | 
 |  | 
 |    The following methods implement methods for autodetection of compiler  options, | 
 |    providing some functionality similar to GNU :program:`autoconf`. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.detect_language(sources) | 
 |  | 
 |       Detect the language of a given file, or list of files. Uses the  instance | 
 |       attributes :attr:`language_map` (a dictionary), and  :attr:`language_order` (a | 
 |       list) to do the job. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.find_library_file(dirs, lib[, debug=0]) | 
 |  | 
 |       Search the specified list of directories for a static or shared library file | 
 |       *lib* and return the full path to that file.  If *debug* is true, look for a | 
 |       debugging version (if that makes sense on the current platform).  Return | 
 |       ``None`` if *lib* wasn't found in any of the specified directories. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.has_function(funcname [, includes=None, include_dirs=None, libraries=None, library_dirs=None]) | 
 |  | 
 |       Return a boolean indicating whether *funcname* is supported on the current | 
 |       platform.  The optional arguments can be used to augment the compilation | 
 |       environment by providing additional include files and paths and libraries and | 
 |       paths. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.library_dir_option(dir) | 
 |  | 
 |       Return the compiler option to add *dir* to the list of directories searched for | 
 |       libraries. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.library_option(lib) | 
 |  | 
 |       Return the compiler option to add *dir* to the list of libraries linked into the | 
 |       shared library or executable. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.runtime_library_dir_option(dir) | 
 |  | 
 |       Return the compiler option to add *dir* to the list of directories searched for | 
 |       runtime libraries. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.set_executables(**args) | 
 |  | 
 |       Define the executables (and options for them) that will be run to perform the | 
 |       various stages of compilation.  The exact set of executables that may be | 
 |       specified here depends on the compiler class (via the 'executables' class | 
 |       attribute), but most will have: | 
 |  | 
 |       +--------------+------------------------------------------+ | 
 |       | attribute    | description                              | | 
 |       +==============+==========================================+ | 
 |       | *compiler*   | the C/C++ compiler                       | | 
 |       +--------------+------------------------------------------+ | 
 |       | *linker_so*  | linker used to create shared objects and | | 
 |       |              | libraries                                | | 
 |       +--------------+------------------------------------------+ | 
 |       | *linker_exe* | linker used to create binary executables | | 
 |       +--------------+------------------------------------------+ | 
 |       | *archiver*   | static library creator                   | | 
 |       +--------------+------------------------------------------+ | 
 |  | 
 |       On platforms with a command-line (Unix, DOS/Windows), each of these is a string | 
 |       that will be split into executable name and (optional) list of arguments. | 
 |       (Splitting the string is done similarly to how Unix shells operate: words are | 
 |       delimited by spaces, but quotes and backslashes can override this.  See | 
 |       :func:`distutils.util.split_quoted`.) | 
 |  | 
 |    The following methods invoke stages in the build process. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.compile(sources[, output_dir=None, macros=None, include_dirs=None, debug=0, extra_preargs=None, extra_postargs=None, depends=None]) | 
 |  | 
 |       Compile one or more source files. Generates object files (e.g.  transforms a | 
 |       :file:`.c` file to a :file:`.o` file.) | 
 |  | 
 |       *sources* must be a list of filenames, most likely C/C++ files, but in reality | 
 |       anything that can be handled by a particular compiler and compiler class (eg. | 
 |       :class:`MSVCCompiler` can handle resource files in *sources*).  Return a list of | 
 |       object filenames, one per source filename in *sources*.  Depending on the | 
 |       implementation, not all source files will necessarily be compiled, but all | 
 |       corresponding object filenames will be returned. | 
 |  | 
 |       If *output_dir* is given, object files will be put under it, while retaining | 
 |       their original path component.  That is, :file:`foo/bar.c` normally compiles to | 
 |       :file:`foo/bar.o` (for a Unix implementation); if *output_dir* is *build*, then | 
 |       it would compile to :file:`build/foo/bar.o`. | 
 |  | 
 |       *macros*, if given, must be a list of macro definitions.  A macro definition is | 
 |       either a ``(name, value)`` 2-tuple or a ``(name,)`` 1-tuple. The former defines | 
 |       a macro; if the value is ``None``, the macro is defined without an explicit | 
 |       value.  The 1-tuple case undefines a macro.  Later | 
 |       definitions/redefinitions/undefinitions take precedence. | 
 |  | 
 |       *include_dirs*, if given, must be a list of strings, the directories to add to | 
 |       the default include file search path for this compilation only. | 
 |  | 
 |       *debug* is a boolean; if true, the compiler will be instructed to output debug | 
 |       symbols in (or alongside) the object file(s). | 
 |  | 
 |       *extra_preargs* and *extra_postargs* are implementation-dependent. On platforms | 
 |       that have the notion of a command-line (e.g. Unix, DOS/Windows), they are most | 
 |       likely lists of strings: extra command-line arguments to prepend/append to the | 
 |       compiler command line.  On other platforms, consult the implementation class | 
 |       documentation.  In any event, they are intended as an escape hatch for those | 
 |       occasions when the abstract compiler framework doesn't cut the mustard. | 
 |  | 
 |       *depends*, if given, is a list of filenames that all targets depend on.  If a | 
 |       source file is older than any file in depends, then the source file will be | 
 |       recompiled.  This supports dependency tracking, but only at a coarse | 
 |       granularity. | 
 |  | 
 |       Raises :exc:`CompileError` on failure. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.create_static_lib(objects, output_libname[, output_dir=None, debug=0, target_lang=None]) | 
 |  | 
 |       Link a bunch of stuff together to create a static library file. The "bunch of | 
 |       stuff" consists of the list of object files supplied as *objects*, the extra | 
 |       object files supplied to :meth:`add_link_object` and/or | 
 |       :meth:`set_link_objects`, the libraries supplied to :meth:`add_library` and/or | 
 |       :meth:`set_libraries`, and the libraries supplied as *libraries* (if any). | 
 |  | 
 |       *output_libname* should be a library name, not a filename; the filename will be | 
 |       inferred from the library name.  *output_dir* is the directory where the library | 
 |       file will be put. | 
 |  | 
 |       .. XXX defaults to what? | 
 |  | 
 |       *debug* is a boolean; if true, debugging information will be included in the | 
 |       library (note that on most platforms, it is the compile step where this matters: | 
 |       the *debug* flag is included here just for consistency). | 
 |  | 
 |       *target_lang* is the target language for which the given objects are being | 
 |       compiled. This allows specific linkage time treatment of certain languages. | 
 |  | 
 |       Raises :exc:`LibError` on failure. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.link(target_desc, objects, output_filename[, output_dir=None, libraries=None, library_dirs=None, runtime_library_dirs=None, export_symbols=None, debug=0, extra_preargs=None, extra_postargs=None, build_temp=None, target_lang=None]) | 
 |  | 
 |       Link a bunch of stuff together to create an executable or shared library file. | 
 |  | 
 |       The "bunch of stuff" consists of the list of object files supplied as *objects*. | 
 |       *output_filename* should be a filename.  If *output_dir* is supplied, | 
 |       *output_filename* is relative to it (i.e. *output_filename* can provide | 
 |       directory components if needed). | 
 |  | 
 |       *libraries* is a list of libraries to link against.  These are library names, | 
 |       not filenames, since they're translated into filenames in a platform-specific | 
 |       way (eg. *foo* becomes :file:`libfoo.a` on Unix and :file:`foo.lib` on | 
 |       DOS/Windows).  However, they can include a directory component, which means the | 
 |       linker will look in that specific directory rather than searching all the normal | 
 |       locations. | 
 |  | 
 |       *library_dirs*, if supplied, should be a list of directories to search for | 
 |       libraries that were specified as bare library names (ie. no directory | 
 |       component).  These are on top of the system default and those supplied to | 
 |       :meth:`add_library_dir` and/or :meth:`set_library_dirs`.  *runtime_library_dirs* | 
 |       is a list of directories that will be embedded into the shared library and used | 
 |       to search for other shared libraries that \*it\* depends on at run-time.  (This | 
 |       may only be relevant on Unix.) | 
 |  | 
 |       *export_symbols* is a list of symbols that the shared library will export. | 
 |       (This appears to be relevant only on Windows.) | 
 |  | 
 |       *debug* is as for :meth:`compile` and :meth:`create_static_lib`,  with the | 
 |       slight distinction that it actually matters on most platforms (as opposed to | 
 |       :meth:`create_static_lib`, which includes a *debug* flag mostly for form's | 
 |       sake). | 
 |  | 
 |       *extra_preargs* and *extra_postargs* are as for :meth:`compile`  (except of | 
 |       course that they supply command-line arguments for the particular linker being | 
 |       used). | 
 |  | 
 |       *target_lang* is the target language for which the given objects are being | 
 |       compiled. This allows specific linkage time treatment of certain languages. | 
 |  | 
 |       Raises :exc:`LinkError` on failure. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.link_executable(objects, output_progname[, output_dir=None, libraries=None, library_dirs=None, runtime_library_dirs=None, debug=0, extra_preargs=None, extra_postargs=None, target_lang=None]) | 
 |  | 
 |       Link an executable.  *output_progname* is the name of the file executable, while | 
 |       *objects* are a list of object filenames to link in. Other arguments  are as for | 
 |       the :meth:`link` method. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.link_shared_lib(objects, output_libname[, output_dir=None, libraries=None, library_dirs=None, runtime_library_dirs=None, export_symbols=None, debug=0, extra_preargs=None, extra_postargs=None, build_temp=None, target_lang=None]) | 
 |  | 
 |       Link a shared library. *output_libname* is the name of the output  library, | 
 |       while *objects* is a list of object filenames to link in.  Other arguments are | 
 |       as for the :meth:`link` method. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.link_shared_object(objects, output_filename[, output_dir=None, libraries=None, library_dirs=None, runtime_library_dirs=None, export_symbols=None, debug=0, extra_preargs=None, extra_postargs=None, build_temp=None, target_lang=None]) | 
 |  | 
 |       Link a shared object. *output_filename* is the name of the shared object that | 
 |       will be created, while *objects* is a list of object filenames  to link in. | 
 |       Other arguments are as for the :meth:`link` method. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.preprocess(source[, output_file=None, macros=None, include_dirs=None, extra_preargs=None, extra_postargs=None]) | 
 |  | 
 |       Preprocess a single C/C++ source file, named in *source*. Output will be written | 
 |       to file named *output_file*, or *stdout* if *output_file* not supplied. | 
 |       *macros* is a list of macro definitions as for :meth:`compile`, which will | 
 |       augment the macros set with :meth:`define_macro` and :meth:`undefine_macro`. | 
 |       *include_dirs* is a list of directory names that will be added to the  default | 
 |       list, in the same way as :meth:`add_include_dir`. | 
 |  | 
 |       Raises :exc:`PreprocessError` on failure. | 
 |  | 
 |    The following utility methods are defined by the :class:`CCompiler` class, for | 
 |    use by the various concrete subclasses. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.executable_filename(basename[, strip_dir=0, output_dir='']) | 
 |  | 
 |       Returns the filename of the executable for the given *basename*.  Typically for | 
 |       non-Windows platforms this is the same as the basename,  while Windows will get | 
 |       a :file:`.exe` added. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.library_filename(libname[, lib_type='static', strip_dir=0, output_dir='']) | 
 |  | 
 |       Returns the filename for the given library name on the current platform. On Unix | 
 |       a library with *lib_type* of ``'static'`` will typically  be of the form | 
 |       :file:`liblibname.a`, while a *lib_type* of ``'dynamic'``  will be of the form | 
 |       :file:`liblibname.so`. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.object_filenames(source_filenames[, strip_dir=0, output_dir='']) | 
 |  | 
 |       Returns the name of the object files for the given source files. | 
 |       *source_filenames* should be a list of filenames. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.shared_object_filename(basename[, strip_dir=0, output_dir='']) | 
 |  | 
 |       Returns the name of a shared object file for the given file name *basename*. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.execute(func, args[, msg=None, level=1]) | 
 |  | 
 |       Invokes :func:`distutils.util.execute` This method invokes a  Python function | 
 |       *func* with the given arguments *args*, after  logging and taking into account | 
 |       the *dry_run* flag. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.spawn(cmd) | 
 |  | 
 |       Invokes :func:`distutils.util.spawn`. This invokes an external  process to run | 
 |       the given command. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.mkpath(name[, mode=511]) | 
 |  | 
 |       Invokes :func:`distutils.dir_util.mkpath`. This creates a directory  and any | 
 |       missing ancestor directories. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.move_file(src, dst) | 
 |  | 
 |       Invokes :meth:`distutils.file_util.move_file`. Renames *src* to  *dst*. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.announce(msg[, level=1]) | 
 |  | 
 |       Write a message using :func:`distutils.log.debug`. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.warn(msg) | 
 |  | 
 |       Write a warning message *msg* to standard error. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: CCompiler.debug_print(msg) | 
 |  | 
 |       If the *debug* flag is set on this :class:`CCompiler` instance, print  *msg* to | 
 |       standard output, otherwise do nothing. | 
 |  | 
 | .. % \subsection{Compiler-specific modules} | 
 | .. % | 
 | .. % The following modules implement concrete subclasses of the abstract | 
 | .. % \class{CCompiler} class. They should not be instantiated directly, but should | 
 | .. % be created using \function{distutils.ccompiler.new_compiler()} factory | 
 | .. % function. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.unixccompiler` --- Unix C Compiler | 
 | ================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.unixccompiler | 
 |    :synopsis: UNIX C Compiler | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | This module provides the :class:`UnixCCompiler` class, a subclass of | 
 | :class:`CCompiler` that handles the typical Unix-style command-line  C compiler: | 
 |  | 
 | * macros defined with :option:`-Dname[=value]` | 
 |  | 
 | * macros undefined with :option:`-Uname` | 
 |  | 
 | * include search directories specified with :option:`-Idir` | 
 |  | 
 | * libraries specified with :option:`-llib` | 
 |  | 
 | * library search directories specified with :option:`-Ldir` | 
 |  | 
 | * compile handled by :program:`cc` (or similar) executable with :option:`-c` | 
 |   option: compiles :file:`.c` to :file:`.o` | 
 |  | 
 | * link static library handled by :program:`ar` command (possibly with | 
 |   :program:`ranlib`) | 
 |  | 
 | * link shared library handled by :program:`cc` :option:`-shared` | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.msvccompiler` --- Microsoft Compiler | 
 | ==================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.msvccompiler | 
 |    :synopsis: Microsoft Compiler | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | This module provides :class:`MSVCCompiler`, an implementation of the abstract | 
 | :class:`CCompiler` class for Microsoft Visual Studio. Typically, extension | 
 | modules need to be compiled with the same compiler that was used to compile | 
 | Python. For Python 2.3 and earlier, the compiler was Visual Studio 6. For Python | 
 | 2.4 and 2.5, the compiler is Visual Studio .NET 2003. The AMD64 and Itanium | 
 | binaries are created using the Platform SDK. | 
 |  | 
 | :class:`MSVCCompiler` will normally choose the right compiler, linker etc. on | 
 | its own. To override this choice, the environment variables *DISTUTILS_USE_SDK* | 
 | and *MSSdk* must be both set. *MSSdk* indicates that the current environment has | 
 | been setup by the SDK's ``SetEnv.Cmd`` script, or that the environment variables | 
 | had been registered when the SDK was installed; *DISTUTILS_USE_SDK* indicates | 
 | that the distutils user has made an explicit choice to override the compiler | 
 | selection by :class:`MSVCCompiler`. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.bcppcompiler` --- Borland Compiler | 
 | ================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.bcppcompiler | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | This module provides :class:`BorlandCCompiler`, an subclass of the abstract | 
 | :class:`CCompiler` class for the Borland C++ compiler. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.cygwincompiler` --- Cygwin Compiler | 
 | =================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.cygwinccompiler | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | This module provides the :class:`CygwinCCompiler` class, a subclass of | 
 | :class:`UnixCCompiler` that handles the Cygwin port of the GNU C compiler to | 
 | Windows.  It also contains the Mingw32CCompiler class which handles the mingw32 | 
 | port of GCC (same as cygwin in no-cygwin mode). | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.emxccompiler` --- OS/2 EMX Compiler | 
 | =================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.emxccompiler | 
 |    :synopsis: OS/2 EMX Compiler support | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | This module provides the EMXCCompiler class, a subclass of | 
 | :class:`UnixCCompiler` that handles the EMX port of the GNU C compiler to OS/2. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.archive_util` ---  Archiving utilities | 
 | ====================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.archive_util | 
 |    :synopsis: Utility functions for creating archive files (tarballs, zip files, ...) | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | This module provides a few functions for creating archive files, such as | 
 | tarballs or zipfiles. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: make_archive(base_name, format[, root_dir=None, base_dir=None, verbose=0, dry_run=0]) | 
 |  | 
 |    Create an archive file (eg. ``zip`` or ``tar``).  *base_name*  is the name of | 
 |    the file to create, minus any format-specific extension;  *format* is the | 
 |    archive format: one of ``zip``, ``tar``,  ``ztar``, or ``gztar``. *root_dir* is | 
 |    a directory that will be the root directory of the archive; ie. we typically | 
 |    ``chdir`` into *root_dir* before  creating the archive.  *base_dir* is the | 
 |    directory where we start  archiving from; ie. *base_dir* will be the common | 
 |    prefix of all files and directories in the archive.  *root_dir* and *base_dir* | 
 |    both default to the current directory.  Returns the name of the archive file. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: make_tarball(base_name, base_dir[, compress='gzip', verbose=0, dry_run=0]) | 
 |  | 
 |    'Create an (optional compressed) archive as a tar file from all files in and | 
 |    under *base_dir*. *compress* must be ``'gzip'`` (the default),  ``'compress'``, | 
 |    ``'bzip2'``, or ``None``.  Both :program:`tar` and the compression utility named | 
 |    by *compress* must be on the  default program search path, so this is probably | 
 |    Unix-specific.  The  output tar file will be named :file:`base_dir.tar`, | 
 |    possibly plus the appropriate compression extension (:file:`.gz`, :file:`.bz2` | 
 |    or :file:`.Z`).  Return the output filename. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: make_zipfile(base_name, base_dir[, verbose=0, dry_run=0]) | 
 |  | 
 |    Create a zip file from all files in and under *base_dir*.  The output zip file | 
 |    will be named *base_name* + :file:`.zip`.  Uses either the  :mod:`zipfile` Python | 
 |    module (if available) or the InfoZIP :file:`zip`  utility (if installed and | 
 |    found on the default search path).  If neither  tool is available, raises | 
 |    :exc:`DistutilsExecError`.   Returns the name of the output zip file. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.dep_util` --- Dependency checking | 
 | ================================================= | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.dep_util | 
 |    :synopsis: Utility functions for simple dependency checking | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | This module provides functions for performing simple, timestamp-based | 
 | dependency of files and groups of files; also, functions based entirely  on such | 
 | timestamp dependency analysis. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: newer(source, target) | 
 |  | 
 |    Return true if *source* exists and is more recently modified than *target*, or | 
 |    if *source* exists and *target* doesn't. Return false if both exist and *target* | 
 |    is the same age or newer  than *source*. Raise :exc:`DistutilsFileError` if | 
 |    *source* does not exist. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: newer_pairwise(sources, targets) | 
 |  | 
 |    Walk two filename lists in parallel, testing if each source is newer than its | 
 |    corresponding target.  Return a pair of lists (*sources*, *targets*) where | 
 |    source is newer than target, according to the semantics of :func:`newer` | 
 |  | 
 |    .. % % equivalent to a listcomp... | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: newer_group(sources, target[, missing='error']) | 
 |  | 
 |    Return true if *target* is out-of-date with respect to any file listed in | 
 |    *sources*  In other words, if *target* exists and is newer than every file in | 
 |    *sources*, return false; otherwise return true. *missing* controls what we do | 
 |    when a source file is missing; the default (``'error'``) is to blow up with an | 
 |    :exc:`OSError` from  inside :func:`os.stat`; if it is ``'ignore'``, we silently | 
 |    drop any missing source files; if it is ``'newer'``, any missing source files | 
 |    make us assume that *target* is out-of-date (this is handy in "dry-run" mode: | 
 |    it'll make you pretend to carry out commands that wouldn't work because inputs | 
 |    are missing, but that doesn't matter because you're not actually going to run | 
 |    the commands). | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.dir_util` --- Directory tree operations | 
 | ======================================================= | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.dir_util | 
 |    :synopsis: Utility functions for operating on directories and directory trees | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | This module provides functions for operating on directories and trees of | 
 | directories. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: mkpath(name[, mode=0o777, verbose=0, dry_run=0]) | 
 |  | 
 |    Create a directory and any missing ancestor directories.  If the directory | 
 |    already exists (or if *name* is the empty string, which means the current | 
 |    directory, which of course exists), then do nothing.  Raise | 
 |    :exc:`DistutilsFileError` if unable to create some directory along the way (eg. | 
 |    some sub-path exists, but is a file rather than a directory).  If *verbose* is | 
 |    true, print a one-line summary of each mkdir to stdout.  Return the list of | 
 |    directories actually created. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: create_tree(base_dir, files[, mode=0o777, verbose=0, dry_run=0]) | 
 |  | 
 |    Create all the empty directories under *base_dir* needed to put *files* there. | 
 |    *base_dir* is just the a name of a directory which doesn't necessarily exist | 
 |    yet; *files* is a list of filenames to be interpreted relative to *base_dir*. | 
 |    *base_dir* + the directory portion of every file in *files* will be created if | 
 |    it doesn't already exist.  *mode*, *verbose* and *dry_run* flags  are as for | 
 |    :func:`mkpath`. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: copy_tree(src, dst[, preserve_mode=1, preserve_times=1, preserve_symlinks=0, update=0, verbose=0, dry_run=0]) | 
 |  | 
 |    Copy an entire directory tree *src* to a new location *dst*.  Both *src* and | 
 |    *dst* must be directory names.  If *src* is not a directory, raise | 
 |    :exc:`DistutilsFileError`.  If *dst* does  not exist, it is created with | 
 |    :func:`mkpath`.  The end result of the  copy is that every file in *src* is | 
 |    copied to *dst*, and  directories under *src* are recursively copied to *dst*. | 
 |    Return the list of files that were copied or might have been copied, using their | 
 |    output name. The return value is unaffected by *update* or *dry_run*: it is | 
 |    simply the list of all files under *src*, with the names changed to be under | 
 |    *dst*. | 
 |  | 
 |    *preserve_mode* and *preserve_times* are the same as for :func:`copy_file` in | 
 |    :mod:`distutils.file_util`; note that they only apply to regular files, not to | 
 |    directories.  If *preserve_symlinks* is true, symlinks will be copied as | 
 |    symlinks (on platforms that support them!); otherwise (the default), the | 
 |    destination of the symlink will be copied.  *update* and *verbose* are the same | 
 |    as for :func:`copy_file`. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: remove_tree(directory[, verbose=0, dry_run=0]) | 
 |  | 
 |    Recursively remove *directory* and all files and directories underneath it. Any | 
 |    errors are ignored (apart from being reported to ``sys.stdout`` if *verbose* is | 
 |    true). | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.file_util` --- Single file operations | 
 | ===================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.file_util | 
 |    :synopsis: Utility functions for operating on single files | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | This module contains some utility functions for operating on individual files. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: copy_file(src, dst[, preserve_mode=1, preserve_times=1, update=0, link=None, verbose=0, dry_run=0]) | 
 |  | 
 |    Copy file *src* to *dst*. If *dst* is a directory, then *src* is copied there | 
 |    with the same name; otherwise, it must be a filename. (If the file exists, it | 
 |    will be ruthlessly clobbered.) If *preserve_mode* is true (the default), the | 
 |    file's mode (type and permission bits, or whatever is analogous on the | 
 |    current platform) is copied. If *preserve_times* is true (the default), the | 
 |    last-modified and last-access times are copied as well. If *update* is true, | 
 |    *src* will only be copied if *dst* does not exist, or if *dst* does exist but | 
 |    is older than *src*. | 
 |  | 
 |    *link* allows you to make hard links (using :func:`os.link`) or symbolic links | 
 |    (using :func:`os.symlink`) instead of copying: set it to ``'hard'`` or | 
 |    ``'sym'``; if it is ``None`` (the default), files are copied. Don't set *link* | 
 |    on systems that don't support it: :func:`copy_file` doesn't check if hard or | 
 |    symbolic linking is available.  It uses :func:`_copy_file_contents` to copy file | 
 |    contents. | 
 |  | 
 |    Return a tuple ``(dest_name, copied)``: *dest_name* is the actual  name of the | 
 |    output file, and *copied* is true if the file was copied  (or would have been | 
 |    copied, if *dry_run* true). | 
 |  | 
 |    .. % XXX if the destination file already exists, we clobber it if | 
 |    .. % copying, but blow up if linking.  Hmmm.  And I don't know what | 
 |    .. % macostools.copyfile() does.  Should definitely be consistent, and | 
 |    .. % should probably blow up if destination exists and we would be | 
 |    .. % changing it (ie. it's not already a hard/soft link to src OR | 
 |    .. % (not update) and (src newer than dst)). | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: move_file(src, dst[, verbose, dry_run]) | 
 |  | 
 |    Move file *src* to *dst*. If *dst* is a directory, the file will be moved into | 
 |    it with the same name; otherwise, *src* is just renamed to *dst*.  Returns the | 
 |    new full name of the file. | 
 |  | 
 |    .. warning:: | 
 |  | 
 |       Handles cross-device moves on Unix using :func:`copy_file`.  What about | 
 |       other systems? | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: write_file(filename, contents) | 
 |  | 
 |    Create a file called *filename* and write *contents* (a sequence of strings | 
 |    without line terminators) to it. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.util` --- Miscellaneous other utility functions | 
 | =============================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.util | 
 |    :synopsis: Miscellaneous other utility functions | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | This module contains other assorted bits and pieces that don't fit into  any | 
 | other utility module. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: get_platform() | 
 |  | 
 |    Return a string that identifies the current platform.  This is used mainly to | 
 |    distinguish platform-specific build directories and platform-specific built | 
 |    distributions.  Typically includes the OS name and version and the architecture | 
 |    (as supplied by 'os.uname()'), although the exact information included depends | 
 |    on the OS; eg. for IRIX the architecture isn't particularly important (IRIX only | 
 |    runs on SGI hardware), but for Linux the kernel version isn't particularly | 
 |    important. | 
 |  | 
 |    Examples of returned values: | 
 |  | 
 |    * ``linux-i586`` | 
 |    * ``linux-alpha`` | 
 |    * ``solaris-2.6-sun4u`` | 
 |    * ``irix-5.3`` | 
 |    * ``irix64-6.2`` | 
 |  | 
 |    For non-POSIX platforms, currently just returns ``sys.platform``. | 
 |  | 
 |    For Mac OS X systems the OS version reflects the minimal version on which | 
 |    binaries will run (that is, the value of ``MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET`` | 
 |    during the build of Python), not the OS version of the current system. | 
 |  | 
 |    For universal binary builds on Mac OS X the architecture value reflects | 
 |    the univeral binary status instead of the architecture of the current | 
 |    processor. For 32-bit universal binaries the architecture is ``fat``, | 
 |    for 64-bit universal binaries the architecture is ``fat64``, and | 
 |    for 4-way universal binaries the architecture is ``universal``. Starting | 
 |    from Python 2.7 and Python 3.2 the architecture ``fat3`` is used for | 
 |    a 3-way universal build (ppc, i386, x86_64) and ``intel`` is used for | 
 |    a univeral build with the i386 and x86_64 architectures | 
 |  | 
 |    Examples of returned values on Mac OS X: | 
 |  | 
 |    * ``macosx-10.3-ppc`` | 
 |  | 
 |    * ``macosx-10.3-fat`` | 
 |  | 
 |    * ``macosx-10.5-universal`` | 
 |  | 
 |    * ``macosx-10.6-intel`` | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: convert_path(pathname) | 
 |  | 
 |    Return 'pathname' as a name that will work on the native filesystem, i.e. split | 
 |    it on '/' and put it back together again using the current directory separator. | 
 |    Needed because filenames in the setup script are always supplied in Unix style, | 
 |    and have to be converted to the local convention before we can actually use them | 
 |    in the filesystem.  Raises :exc:`ValueError` on non-Unix-ish systems if | 
 |    *pathname* either  starts or ends with a slash. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: change_root(new_root, pathname) | 
 |  | 
 |    Return *pathname* with *new_root* prepended.  If *pathname* is relative, this is | 
 |    equivalent to ``os.path.join(new_root,pathname)`` Otherwise, it requires making | 
 |    *pathname* relative and then joining the two, which is tricky on DOS/Windows. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: check_environ() | 
 |  | 
 |    Ensure that 'os.environ' has all the environment variables we guarantee that | 
 |    users can use in config files, command-line options, etc.  Currently this | 
 |    includes: | 
 |  | 
 |    * :envvar:`HOME` - user's home directory (Unix only) | 
 |    * :envvar:`PLAT` - description of the current platform, including hardware and | 
 |      OS (see :func:`get_platform`) | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: subst_vars(s, local_vars) | 
 |  | 
 |    Perform shell/Perl-style variable substitution on *s*.  Every occurrence of | 
 |    ``$`` followed by a name is considered a variable, and variable is substituted | 
 |    by the value found in the *local_vars* dictionary, or in ``os.environ`` if it's | 
 |    not in *local_vars*. *os.environ* is first checked/augmented to guarantee that | 
 |    it contains certain values: see :func:`check_environ`.  Raise :exc:`ValueError` | 
 |    for any variables not found in either *local_vars* or ``os.environ``. | 
 |  | 
 |    Note that this is not a fully-fledged string interpolation function. A valid | 
 |    ``$variable`` can consist only of upper and lower case letters, numbers and an | 
 |    underscore. No { } or ( ) style quoting is available. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: grok_environment_error(exc[, prefix='error: ']) | 
 |  | 
 |    Generate a useful error message from an :exc:`EnvironmentError`  (:exc:`IOError` | 
 |    or :exc:`OSError`) exception object.   Handles Python 1.5.1 and later styles, | 
 |    and does what it can to deal with  exception objects that don't have a filename | 
 |    (which happens when the error  is due to a two-file operation, such as | 
 |    :func:`rename` or  :func:`link`).  Returns the error message as a string | 
 |    prefixed  with *prefix*. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: split_quoted(s) | 
 |  | 
 |    Split a string up according to Unix shell-like rules for quotes and backslashes. | 
 |    In short: words are delimited by spaces, as long as those spaces are not escaped | 
 |    by a backslash, or inside a quoted string. Single and double quotes are | 
 |    equivalent, and the quote characters can be backslash-escaped.  The backslash is | 
 |    stripped from any two-character escape sequence, leaving only the escaped | 
 |    character.  The quote characters are stripped from any quoted string.  Returns a | 
 |    list of words. | 
 |  | 
 |    .. % Should probably be moved into the standard library. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: execute(func, args[, msg=None, verbose=0, dry_run=0]) | 
 |  | 
 |    Perform some action that affects the outside world (for instance, writing to the | 
 |    filesystem).  Such actions are special because they are disabled by the | 
 |    *dry_run* flag.  This method takes  care of all that bureaucracy for you; all | 
 |    you have to do is supply the function to call and an argument tuple for it (to | 
 |    embody the "external action" being performed), and an optional message to print. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: strtobool(val) | 
 |  | 
 |    Convert a string representation of truth to true (1) or false (0). | 
 |  | 
 |    True values are ``y``, ``yes``, ``t``, ``true``, ``on``  and ``1``; false values | 
 |    are ``n``, ``no``, ``f``, ``false``,  ``off`` and ``0``.  Raises | 
 |    :exc:`ValueError` if *val*  is anything else. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: byte_compile(py_files[, optimize=0, force=0, prefix=None, base_dir=None, verbose=1, dry_run=0, direct=None]) | 
 |  | 
 |    Byte-compile a collection of Python source files to either :file:`.pyc` or | 
 |    :file:`.pyo` files in a :file:`__pycache__` subdirectory (see :pep:`3147`). | 
 |    *py_files* is a list of files to compile; any files that don't end in | 
 |    :file:`.py` are silently skipped.  *optimize* must be one of the following: | 
 |  | 
 |    * ``0`` - don't optimize (generate :file:`.pyc`) | 
 |    * ``1`` - normal optimization (like ``python -O``) | 
 |    * ``2`` - extra optimization (like ``python -OO``) | 
 |  | 
 |    If *force* is true, all files are recompiled regardless of timestamps. | 
 |  | 
 |    The source filename encoded in each :term:`bytecode` file defaults to the filenames | 
 |    listed in *py_files*; you can modify these with *prefix* and *basedir*. | 
 |    *prefix* is a string that will be stripped off of each source filename, and | 
 |    *base_dir* is a directory name that will be prepended (after *prefix* is | 
 |    stripped).  You can supply either or both (or neither) of *prefix* and | 
 |    *base_dir*, as you wish. | 
 |  | 
 |    If *dry_run* is true, doesn't actually do anything that would affect the | 
 |    filesystem. | 
 |  | 
 |    Byte-compilation is either done directly in this interpreter process with the | 
 |    standard :mod:`py_compile` module, or indirectly by writing a temporary script | 
 |    and executing it.  Normally, you should let :func:`byte_compile` figure out to | 
 |    use direct compilation or not (see the source for details).  The *direct* flag | 
 |    is used by the script generated in indirect mode; unless you know what you're | 
 |    doing, leave it set to ``None``. | 
 |  | 
 |    .. versionchanged:: 3.2.3 | 
 |       Create ``.pyc`` or ``.pyo`` files with an :func:`import magic tag | 
 |       <imp.get_tag>` in their name, in a :file:`__pycache__` subdirectory | 
 |       instead of files without tag in the current directory. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: rfc822_escape(header) | 
 |  | 
 |    Return a version of *header* escaped for inclusion in an :rfc:`822` header, by | 
 |    ensuring there are 8 spaces space after each newline. Note that it does no other | 
 |    modification of the string. | 
 |  | 
 |    .. % this _can_ be replaced | 
 |  | 
 | .. % \subsection{Distutils objects} | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.dist` --- The Distribution class | 
 | ================================================ | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.dist | 
 |    :synopsis: Provides the Distribution class, which represents the module distribution being | 
 |               built/installed/distributed | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | This module provides the :class:`Distribution` class, which represents the | 
 | module distribution being built/installed/distributed. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.extension` --- The Extension class | 
 | ================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.extension | 
 |    :synopsis: Provides the Extension class, used to describe C/C++ extension modules in setup | 
 |               scripts | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | This module provides the :class:`Extension` class, used to describe C/C++ | 
 | extension modules in setup scripts. | 
 |  | 
 | .. % \subsection{Ungrouped modules} | 
 | .. % The following haven't been moved into a more appropriate section yet. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.debug` --- Distutils debug mode | 
 | =============================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.debug | 
 |    :synopsis: Provides the debug flag for distutils | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | This module provides the DEBUG flag. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.errors` --- Distutils exceptions | 
 | ================================================ | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.errors | 
 |    :synopsis: Provides standard distutils exceptions | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | Provides exceptions used by the Distutils modules.  Note that Distutils modules | 
 | may raise standard exceptions; in particular, SystemExit is usually raised for | 
 | errors that are obviously the end-user's fault (eg. bad command-line arguments). | 
 |  | 
 | This module is safe to use in ``from ... import *`` mode; it only exports | 
 | symbols whose names start with ``Distutils`` and end with ``Error``. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.fancy_getopt` --- Wrapper around the standard getopt module | 
 | =========================================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.fancy_getopt | 
 |    :synopsis: Additional getopt functionality | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | This module provides a wrapper around the standard :mod:`getopt`  module that | 
 | provides the following additional features: | 
 |  | 
 | * short and long options are tied together | 
 |  | 
 | * options have help strings, so :func:`fancy_getopt` could potentially  create a | 
 |   complete usage summary | 
 |  | 
 | * options set attributes of a passed-in object | 
 |  | 
 | * boolean options can have "negative aliases" --- eg. if :option:`--quiet` is | 
 |   the "negative alias" of :option:`--verbose`, then :option:`--quiet` on the | 
 |   command line sets *verbose* to false. | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: fancy_getopt(options, negative_opt, object, args) | 
 |  | 
 |    Wrapper function. *options* is a list of ``(long_option, short_option, | 
 |    help_string)`` 3-tuples as described in the constructor for | 
 |    :class:`FancyGetopt`. *negative_opt* should be a dictionary mapping option names | 
 |    to option names, both the key and value should be in the *options* list. | 
 |    *object* is an object which will be used to store values (see the :meth:`getopt` | 
 |    method of the :class:`FancyGetopt` class). *args* is the argument list. Will use | 
 |    ``sys.argv[1:]`` if you  pass ``None`` as *args*. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: wrap_text(text, width) | 
 |  | 
 |    Wraps *text* to less than *width* wide. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. class:: FancyGetopt([option_table=None]) | 
 |  | 
 |    The option_table is a list of 3-tuples: ``(long_option, short_option, | 
 |    help_string)`` | 
 |  | 
 |    If an option takes an argument, its *long_option* should have ``'='`` appended; | 
 |    *short_option* should just be a single character, no ``':'`` in any case. | 
 |    *short_option* should be ``None`` if a *long_option*  doesn't have a | 
 |    corresponding *short_option*. All option tuples must have long options. | 
 |  | 
 | The :class:`FancyGetopt` class provides the following methods: | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. method:: FancyGetopt.getopt([args=None, object=None]) | 
 |  | 
 |    Parse command-line options in args. Store as attributes on *object*. | 
 |  | 
 |    If *args* is ``None`` or not supplied, uses ``sys.argv[1:]``.  If *object* is | 
 |    ``None`` or not supplied, creates a new :class:`OptionDummy` instance, stores | 
 |    option values there, and returns a tuple ``(args, object)``.  If *object* is | 
 |    supplied, it is modified in place and :func:`getopt` just returns *args*; in | 
 |    both cases, the returned *args* is a modified copy of the passed-in *args* list, | 
 |    which is left untouched. | 
 |  | 
 |    .. % and args returned are? | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. method:: FancyGetopt.get_option_order() | 
 |  | 
 |    Returns the list of ``(option, value)`` tuples processed by the previous run of | 
 |    :meth:`getopt`  Raises :exc:`RuntimeError` if :meth:`getopt` hasn't been called | 
 |    yet. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. method:: FancyGetopt.generate_help([header=None]) | 
 |  | 
 |    Generate help text (a list of strings, one per suggested line of output) from | 
 |    the option table for this :class:`FancyGetopt` object. | 
 |  | 
 |    If supplied, prints the supplied *header* at the top of the help. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.filelist` --- The FileList class | 
 | ================================================ | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.filelist | 
 |    :synopsis: The FileList class, used for poking about the file system and | 
 |               building lists of files. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | This module provides the :class:`FileList` class, used for poking about the | 
 | filesystem and building lists of files. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.log` --- Simple PEP 282-style logging | 
 | ===================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.log | 
 |    :synopsis: A simple logging mechanism, 282-style | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.spawn` --- Spawn a sub-process | 
 | ============================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.spawn | 
 |    :synopsis: Provides the spawn() function | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | This module provides the :func:`spawn` function, a front-end to  various | 
 | platform-specific functions for launching another program in a  sub-process. | 
 | Also provides :func:`find_executable` to search the path for a given executable | 
 | name. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.sysconfig` --- System configuration information | 
 | =============================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.sysconfig | 
 |    :synopsis: Low-level access to configuration information of the Python interpreter. | 
 | .. moduleauthor:: Fred L. Drake, Jr. <fdrake@acm.org> | 
 | .. moduleauthor:: Greg Ward <gward@python.net> | 
 | .. sectionauthor:: Fred L. Drake, Jr. <fdrake@acm.org> | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | The :mod:`distutils.sysconfig` module provides access to Python's low-level | 
 | configuration information.  The specific configuration variables available | 
 | depend heavily on the platform and configuration. The specific variables depend | 
 | on the build process for the specific version of Python being run; the variables | 
 | are those found in the :file:`Makefile` and configuration header that are | 
 | installed with Python on Unix systems.  The configuration header is called | 
 | :file:`pyconfig.h` for Python versions starting with 2.2, and :file:`config.h` | 
 | for earlier versions of Python. | 
 |  | 
 | Some additional functions are provided which perform some useful manipulations | 
 | for other parts of the :mod:`distutils` package. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. data:: PREFIX | 
 |  | 
 |    The result of ``os.path.normpath(sys.prefix)``. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. data:: EXEC_PREFIX | 
 |  | 
 |    The result of ``os.path.normpath(sys.exec_prefix)``. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: get_config_var(name) | 
 |  | 
 |    Return the value of a single variable.  This is equivalent to | 
 |    ``get_config_vars().get(name)``. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: get_config_vars(...) | 
 |  | 
 |    Return a set of variable definitions.  If there are no arguments, this returns a | 
 |    dictionary mapping names of configuration variables to values.  If arguments are | 
 |    provided, they should be strings, and the return value will be a sequence giving | 
 |    the associated values. If a given name does not have a corresponding value, | 
 |    ``None`` will be included for that variable. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: get_config_h_filename() | 
 |  | 
 |    Return the full path name of the configuration header.  For Unix, this will be | 
 |    the header generated by the :program:`configure` script; for other platforms the | 
 |    header will have been supplied directly by the Python source distribution.  The | 
 |    file is a platform-specific text file. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: get_makefile_filename() | 
 |  | 
 |    Return the full path name of the :file:`Makefile` used to build Python.  For | 
 |    Unix, this will be a file generated by the :program:`configure` script; the | 
 |    meaning for other platforms will vary.  The file is a platform-specific text | 
 |    file, if it exists. This function is only useful on POSIX platforms. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: get_python_inc([plat_specific[, prefix]]) | 
 |  | 
 |    Return the directory for either the general or platform-dependent C include | 
 |    files.  If *plat_specific* is true, the platform-dependent include directory is | 
 |    returned; if false or omitted, the platform-independent directory is returned. | 
 |    If *prefix* is given, it is used as either the prefix instead of | 
 |    :const:`PREFIX`, or as the exec-prefix instead of :const:`EXEC_PREFIX` if | 
 |    *plat_specific* is true. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: get_python_lib([plat_specific[, standard_lib[, prefix]]]) | 
 |  | 
 |    Return the directory for either the general or platform-dependent library | 
 |    installation.  If *plat_specific* is true, the platform-dependent include | 
 |    directory is returned; if false or omitted, the platform-independent directory | 
 |    is returned.  If *prefix* is given, it is used as either the prefix instead of | 
 |    :const:`PREFIX`, or as the exec-prefix instead of :const:`EXEC_PREFIX` if | 
 |    *plat_specific* is true.  If *standard_lib* is true, the directory for the | 
 |    standard library is returned rather than the directory for the installation of | 
 |    third-party extensions. | 
 |  | 
 | The following function is only intended for use within the :mod:`distutils` | 
 | package. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: customize_compiler(compiler) | 
 |  | 
 |    Do any platform-specific customization of a | 
 |    :class:`distutils.ccompiler.CCompiler` instance. | 
 |  | 
 |    This function is only needed on Unix at this time, but should be called | 
 |    consistently to support forward-compatibility.  It inserts the information that | 
 |    varies across Unix flavors and is stored in Python's :file:`Makefile`.  This | 
 |    information includes the selected compiler, compiler and linker options, and the | 
 |    extension used by the linker for shared objects. | 
 |  | 
 | This function is even more special-purpose, and should only be used from | 
 | Python's own build procedures. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. function:: set_python_build() | 
 |  | 
 |    Inform the :mod:`distutils.sysconfig` module that it is being used as part of | 
 |    the build process for Python.  This changes a lot of relative locations for | 
 |    files, allowing them to be located in the build area rather than in an installed | 
 |    Python. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.text_file` --- The TextFile class | 
 | ================================================= | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.text_file | 
 |    :synopsis: provides the TextFile class, a simple interface to text files | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | This module provides the :class:`TextFile` class, which gives an interface  to | 
 | text files that (optionally) takes care of stripping comments, ignoring  blank | 
 | lines, and joining lines with backslashes. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. class:: TextFile([filename=None, file=None, **options]) | 
 |  | 
 |    This class provides a file-like object that takes care of all  the things you | 
 |    commonly want to do when processing a text file  that has some line-by-line | 
 |    syntax: strip comments (as long as ``#``  is your comment character), skip blank | 
 |    lines, join adjacent lines by escaping the newline (ie. backslash at end of | 
 |    line), strip leading and/or trailing whitespace.  All of these are optional and | 
 |    independently controllable. | 
 |  | 
 |    The class provides a :meth:`warn` method so you can generate  warning messages | 
 |    that report physical line number, even if the  logical line in question spans | 
 |    multiple physical lines.  Also  provides :meth:`unreadline` for implementing | 
 |    line-at-a-time lookahead. | 
 |  | 
 |    :class:`TextFile` instances are create with either *filename*, *file*, or both. | 
 |    :exc:`RuntimeError` is raised if both are ``None``. *filename* should be a | 
 |    string, and *file* a file object (or something that provides :meth:`readline` | 
 |    and :meth:`close`  methods).  It is recommended that you supply at least | 
 |    *filename*,  so that :class:`TextFile` can include it in warning messages.  If | 
 |    *file* is not supplied, :class:`TextFile` creates its own using the | 
 |    :func:`open` built-in function. | 
 |  | 
 |    The options are all boolean, and affect the values returned by :meth:`readline` | 
 |  | 
 |    +------------------+--------------------------------+---------+ | 
 |    | option name      | description                    | default | | 
 |    +==================+================================+=========+ | 
 |    | *strip_comments* | strip from ``'#'`` to end-of-  | true    | | 
 |    |                  | line, as well as any           |         | | 
 |    |                  | whitespace leading up to the   |         | | 
 |    |                  | ``'#'``\ ---unless it is       |         | | 
 |    |                  | escaped by a backslash         |         | | 
 |    +------------------+--------------------------------+---------+ | 
 |    | *lstrip_ws*      | strip leading whitespace from  | false   | | 
 |    |                  | each line before returning it  |         | | 
 |    +------------------+--------------------------------+---------+ | 
 |    | *rstrip_ws*      | strip trailing whitespace      | true    | | 
 |    |                  | (including line terminator!)   |         | | 
 |    |                  | from each line before          |         | | 
 |    |                  | returning it.                  |         | | 
 |    +------------------+--------------------------------+---------+ | 
 |    | *skip_blanks*    | skip lines that are empty      | true    | | 
 |    |                  | \*after\* stripping comments   |         | | 
 |    |                  | and whitespace.  (If both      |         | | 
 |    |                  | lstrip_ws and rstrip_ws are    |         | | 
 |    |                  | false, then some lines may     |         | | 
 |    |                  | consist of solely whitespace:  |         | | 
 |    |                  | these will \*not\* be skipped, |         | | 
 |    |                  | even if *skip_blanks* is       |         | | 
 |    |                  | true.)                         |         | | 
 |    +------------------+--------------------------------+---------+ | 
 |    | *join_lines*     | if a backslash is the last     | false   | | 
 |    |                  | non-newline character on a     |         | | 
 |    |                  | line after stripping comments  |         | | 
 |    |                  | and whitespace, join the       |         | | 
 |    |                  | following line to it to form   |         | | 
 |    |                  | one logical line; if N         |         | | 
 |    |                  | consecutive lines end with a   |         | | 
 |    |                  | backslash, then N+1 physical   |         | | 
 |    |                  | lines will be joined to form   |         | | 
 |    |                  | one logical line.              |         | | 
 |    +------------------+--------------------------------+---------+ | 
 |    | *collapse_join*  | strip leading whitespace from  | false   | | 
 |    |                  | lines that are joined to their |         | | 
 |    |                  | predecessor; only matters if   |         | | 
 |    |                  | ``(join_lines and not          |         | | 
 |    |                  | lstrip_ws)``                   |         | | 
 |    +------------------+--------------------------------+---------+ | 
 |  | 
 |    Note that since *rstrip_ws* can strip the trailing newline, the semantics of | 
 |    :meth:`readline` must differ from those of the built-in file object's | 
 |    :meth:`readline` method!  In particular, :meth:`readline`  returns ``None`` for | 
 |    end-of-file: an empty string might just be a  blank line (or an all-whitespace | 
 |    line), if *rstrip_ws* is true  but *skip_blanks* is not. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: TextFile.open(filename) | 
 |  | 
 |       Open a new file *filename*.  This overrides any *file* or *filename* | 
 |       constructor arguments. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: TextFile.close() | 
 |  | 
 |       Close the current file and forget everything we know about it (including the | 
 |       filename and the current line number). | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: TextFile.warn(msg[,line=None]) | 
 |  | 
 |       Print (to stderr) a warning message tied to the current logical line in the | 
 |       current file.  If the current logical line in the file spans multiple physical | 
 |       lines, the warning refers to the whole range, such as ``"lines 3-5"``.  If | 
 |       *line* is supplied,  it overrides the current line number; it may be a list or | 
 |       tuple  to indicate a range of physical lines, or an integer for a  single | 
 |       physical line. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: TextFile.readline() | 
 |  | 
 |       Read and return a single logical line from the current file (or from an internal | 
 |       buffer if lines have previously been "unread" with :meth:`unreadline`).  If the | 
 |       *join_lines* option  is true, this may involve reading multiple physical lines | 
 |       concatenated into a single string.  Updates the current line number,  so calling | 
 |       :meth:`warn` after :meth:`readline` emits a warning  about the physical line(s) | 
 |       just read.  Returns ``None`` on end-of-file,  since the empty string can occur | 
 |       if *rstrip_ws* is true but  *strip_blanks* is not. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: TextFile.readlines() | 
 |  | 
 |       Read and return the list of all logical lines remaining in the current file. | 
 |       This updates the current line number to the last line of the file. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 |    .. method:: TextFile.unreadline(line) | 
 |  | 
 |       Push *line* (a string) onto an internal buffer that will be checked by future | 
 |       :meth:`readline` calls.  Handy for implementing a parser with line-at-a-time | 
 |       lookahead. Note that lines that are "unread" with :meth:`unreadline` are not | 
 |       subsequently re-cleansed (whitespace  stripped, or whatever) when read with | 
 |       :meth:`readline`. If multiple calls are made to :meth:`unreadline` before a call | 
 |       to :meth:`readline`, the lines will be returned most in most recent first order. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.version` --- Version number classes | 
 | =================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.version | 
 |    :synopsis: implements classes that represent module version numbers. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. % todo | 
 | .. % \section{Distutils Commands} | 
 | .. % | 
 | .. % This part of Distutils implements the various Distutils commands, such | 
 | .. % as \code{build}, \code{install} \&c. Each command is implemented as a | 
 | .. % separate module, with the command name as the name of the module. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.cmd` --- Abstract base class for Distutils commands | 
 | =================================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.cmd | 
 |    :synopsis: This module provides the abstract base class Command. This class | 
 |               is subclassed by the modules in the distutils.command subpackage. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | This module supplies the abstract base class :class:`Command`. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. class:: Command(dist) | 
 |  | 
 |    Abstract base class for defining command classes, the "worker bees" of the | 
 |    Distutils.  A useful analogy for command classes is to think of them as | 
 |    subroutines with local variables called *options*.  The options are declared | 
 |    in :meth:`initialize_options` and defined (given their final values) in | 
 |    :meth:`finalize_options`, both of which must be defined by every command | 
 |    class.  The distinction between the two is necessary because option values | 
 |    might come from the outside world (command line, config file, ...), and any | 
 |    options dependent on other options must be computed after these outside | 
 |    influences have been processed --- hence :meth:`finalize_options`.  The body | 
 |    of the subroutine, where it does all its work based on the values of its | 
 |    options, is the :meth:`run` method, which must also be implemented by every | 
 |    command class. | 
 |  | 
 |    The class constructor takes a single argument *dist*, a :class:`Distribution` | 
 |    instance. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | Creating a new Distutils command | 
 | ================================ | 
 |  | 
 | This section outlines the steps to create a new Distutils command. | 
 |  | 
 | A new command lives in a module in the :mod:`distutils.command` package. There | 
 | is a sample template in that directory called :file:`command_template`.  Copy | 
 | this file to a new module with the same name as the new command you're | 
 | implementing.  This module should implement a class with the same name as the | 
 | module (and the command).  So, for instance, to create the command | 
 | ``peel_banana`` (so that users can run ``setup.py peel_banana``), you'd copy | 
 | :file:`command_template` to :file:`distutils/command/peel_banana.py`, then edit | 
 | it so that it's implementing the class :class:`peel_banana`, a subclass of | 
 | :class:`distutils.cmd.Command`. | 
 |  | 
 | Subclasses of :class:`Command` must define the following methods. | 
 |  | 
 | .. method:: Command.initialize_options() | 
 |  | 
 |    Set default values for all the options that this command supports.  Note that | 
 |    these defaults may be overridden by other commands, by the setup script, by | 
 |    config files, or by the command-line.  Thus, this is not the place to code | 
 |    dependencies between options; generally, :meth:`initialize_options` | 
 |    implementations are just a bunch of ``self.foo = None`` assignments. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. method:: Command.finalize_options() | 
 |  | 
 |    Set final values for all the options that this command supports. This is | 
 |    always called as late as possible, ie.  after any option assignments from the | 
 |    command-line or from other commands have been done.  Thus, this is the place | 
 |    to code option dependencies: if *foo* depends on *bar*, then it is safe to | 
 |    set *foo* from *bar* as long as *foo* still has the same value it was | 
 |    assigned in :meth:`initialize_options`. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. method:: Command.run() | 
 |  | 
 |    A command's raison d'etre: carry out the action it exists to perform, controlled | 
 |    by the options initialized in :meth:`initialize_options`, customized by other | 
 |    commands, the setup script, the command-line, and config files, and finalized in | 
 |    :meth:`finalize_options`.  All terminal output and filesystem interaction should | 
 |    be done by :meth:`run`. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. attribute:: Command.sub_commands | 
 |  | 
 |    *sub_commands* formalizes the notion of a "family" of commands, | 
 |    e.g. ``install`` as the parent with sub-commands ``install_lib``, | 
 |    ``install_headers``, etc.  The parent of a family of commands defines | 
 |    *sub_commands* as a class attribute; it's a list of 2-tuples ``(command_name, | 
 |    predicate)``, with *command_name* a string and *predicate* a function, a | 
 |    string or ``None``.  *predicate* is a method of the parent command that | 
 |    determines whether the corresponding command is applicable in the current | 
 |    situation.  (E.g. ``install_headers`` is only applicable if we have any C | 
 |    header files to install.)  If *predicate* is ``None``, that command is always | 
 |    applicable. | 
 |  | 
 |    *sub_commands* is usually defined at the *end* of a class, because | 
 |    predicates can be methods of the class, so they must already have been | 
 |    defined.  The canonical example is the :command:`install` command. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command` --- Individual Distutils commands | 
 | ========================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command | 
 |    :synopsis: This subpackage contains one module for each standard Distutils command. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. % \subsubsection{Individual Distutils commands} | 
 | .. % todo | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.bdist` --- Build a binary installer | 
 | =========================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.bdist | 
 |    :synopsis: Build a binary installer for a package | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. % todo | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.bdist_packager` --- Abstract base class for packagers | 
 | ============================================================================= | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.bdist_packager | 
 |    :synopsis: Abstract base class for packagers | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. % todo | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.bdist_dumb` --- Build a "dumb" installer | 
 | ================================================================ | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.bdist_dumb | 
 |    :synopsis: Build a "dumb" installer - a simple archive of files | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. % todo | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.bdist_msi` --- Build a Microsoft Installer binary package | 
 | ================================================================================= | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.bdist_msi | 
 |    :synopsis: Build a binary distribution as a Windows MSI file | 
 |  | 
 | .. class:: bdist_msi | 
 |  | 
 |    Builds a `Windows Installer`_ (.msi) binary package. | 
 |  | 
 |    .. _Windows Installer: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc185688(VS.85).aspx | 
 |  | 
 |    In most cases, the ``bdist_msi`` installer is a better choice than the | 
 |    ``bdist_wininst`` installer, because it provides better support for | 
 |    Win64 platforms, allows administrators to perform non-interactive | 
 |    installations, and allows installation through group policies. | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.bdist_rpm` --- Build a binary distribution as a Redhat RPM and SRPM | 
 | =========================================================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.bdist_rpm | 
 |    :synopsis: Build a binary distribution as a Redhat RPM and SRPM | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. % todo | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.bdist_wininst` --- Build a Windows installer | 
 | ==================================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.bdist_wininst | 
 |    :synopsis: Build a Windows installer | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. % todo | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.sdist` --- Build a source distribution | 
 | ============================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.sdist | 
 |    :synopsis: Build a source distribution | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. % todo | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.build` --- Build all files of a package | 
 | =============================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.build | 
 |    :synopsis: Build all files of a package | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. % todo | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.build_clib` --- Build any C libraries in a package | 
 | ========================================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.build_clib | 
 |    :synopsis: Build any C libraries in a package | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. % todo | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.build_ext` --- Build any extensions in a package | 
 | ======================================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.build_ext | 
 |    :synopsis: Build any extensions in a package | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. % todo | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.build_py` --- Build the .py/.pyc files of a package | 
 | =========================================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.build_py | 
 |    :synopsis: Build the .py/.pyc files of a package | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. class:: build_py | 
 |  | 
 | .. class:: build_py_2to3 | 
 |  | 
 |    Alternative implementation of build_py which also runs the | 
 |    2to3 conversion library on each .py file that is going to be | 
 |    installed. To use this in a setup.py file for a distribution | 
 |    that is designed to run with both Python 2.x and 3.x, add:: | 
 |  | 
 |      try: | 
 |         from distutils.command.build_py import build_py_2to3 as build_py | 
 |      except ImportError: | 
 |         from distutils.command.build_py import build_py | 
 |  | 
 |    to your setup.py, and later:: | 
 |  | 
 |       cmdclass = {'build_py': build_py} | 
 |  | 
 |    to the invocation of setup(). | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.build_scripts` --- Build the scripts of a package | 
 | ========================================================================= | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.build_scripts | 
 |    :synopsis: Build the scripts of a package | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. % todo | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.clean` --- Clean a package build area | 
 | ============================================================= | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.clean | 
 |    :synopsis: Clean a package build area | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. % todo | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.config` --- Perform package configuration | 
 | ================================================================= | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.config | 
 |    :synopsis: Perform package configuration | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. % todo | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.install` --- Install a package | 
 | ====================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.install | 
 |    :synopsis: Install a package | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. % todo | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.install_data` --- Install data files from a package | 
 | =========================================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.install_data | 
 |    :synopsis: Install data files from a package | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. % todo | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.install_headers` --- Install C/C++ header files from a package | 
 | ====================================================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.install_headers | 
 |    :synopsis: Install C/C++ header files from a package | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. % todo | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.install_lib` --- Install library files from a package | 
 | ============================================================================= | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.install_lib | 
 |    :synopsis: Install library files from a package | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. % todo | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.install_scripts` --- Install script files from a package | 
 | ================================================================================ | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.install_scripts | 
 |    :synopsis: Install script files from a package | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | .. % todo | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.register` --- Register a module with the Python Package Index | 
 | ===================================================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.register | 
 |    :synopsis: Register a module with the Python Package Index | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | The ``register`` command registers the package with the Python Package  Index. | 
 | This is described in more detail in :pep:`301`. | 
 |  | 
 | .. % todo | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | :mod:`distutils.command.check` --- Check the meta-data of a package | 
 | =================================================================== | 
 |  | 
 | .. module:: distutils.command.check | 
 |    :synopsis: Check the metadata of a package | 
 |  | 
 |  | 
 | The ``check`` command performs some tests on the meta-data of a package. | 
 | For example, it verifies that all required meta-data are provided as | 
 | the arguments passed to the :func:`setup` function. | 
 |  | 
 | .. % todo |