[Gdal-dev] Python support under MinGW

[Frank Warmerdam]

Mario Beauchamp wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> Another question about building gdal under MinGW: to enable python support, do I need a MinGW build
> of Python? Because from what I could find on that subject, it's no easy task...

Mario,

One of the main benefits of MinGW over Cygwin (as I understand it), is that
the DLLs and libraries are directly compatible with VC++.  They don't depend on
any funky Cygwin environment stuff.  So, it would seem you should be able to
use the normal Python for windows libraries without needing to build Python
itself from scratch.

> And I do need Python support in gdal to compile OpenEV, right? Even if I currently have 4 Pythons
> (with OpenEV_FW 1.63 and OpenEV 1.70, Python 2.3 for Windows and the source for Python 2.3.3), none
> of them have the makefile needed by gdal and OpenEV:
> 
> (GDAL configure)
> checking Python makefile... missing, python disabled.
> (OpenEV configure)
> configure:3494: error: *** Couldnt find the python config makefile.  Maybe you are
> *** missing the development portion of the python installation

This configure test depends on unix style checks, and won't work for any
pythons other than (possibly) the Cygwin python since it looks for stuff in
a unix style file tree.

I realize that not everyone can afford (or chooses) to buy MS VC++, but I think
you are buying yourself alot of headaches to try and build OpenEV and all
its dependencies from scratch with MingW or any other compiler.  Building
GDAL shouldn't be too hard.

Best regards,
-- 
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I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
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