Platform-specific compile flags in setup.py?

[Nikita the Spider]

Hi all,
I'm a newbie when it comes to distributing C-based Python modules. I'm
just now sharing my first with the rest of the world (it's actually V.
Marangozov's shared memory module for IPC) and I've learned that the
module needs a different set of compile flags for Linux than for my Mac.
My question is this: is there a convention or standard that says where
platform-specific compile flags should reside? I could put them in
setup.py, OTOH I know that within the .C file I can add something like
this:
#ifdef __FreeBSD__
#include <machine/param.h /* for system definition of PAGE_SIZE */
#endif

That works, but for maximum Python programmer-friendliness I should
perhaps put the complexity in setup.py rather than in a .C file.

Opinions appreciated.

PS - The module in question is here; Linux users must remove the tuple
"('HAVE_UNION_S EMUN', None)" from setup.py:
http://NikitaTheSpider.com/python/shm/

--
Philip
http://NikitaTheSpider.com/
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[Alex Martelli]

Nikita the Spider <Ni************ *@gmail.comwrot e:

Hi all,
I'm a newbie when it comes to distributing C-based Python modules. I'm
just now sharing my first with the rest of the world (it's actually V.
Marangozov's shared memory module for IPC) and I've learned that the
module needs a different set of compile flags for Linux than for my Mac.
My question is this: is there a convention or standard that says where
platform-specific compile flags should reside? I could put them in
setup.py,

If you need, specifically, *compile-flags*, then setup.py is a good
place for them (also linker-flags &c).

OTOH I know that within the .C file I can add something like
this:
#ifdef __FreeBSD__
#include <machine/param.h /* for system definition of PAGE_SIZE */
#endif

This is NOT a "compile-flag" -- it's a reasonable C technique, though.

That works, but for maximum Python programmer-friendliness I should
perhaps put the complexity in setup.py rather than in a .C file.

Opinions appreciated.

My opinion: flags in setup.py, conditional includes (&c) in the .c or .h
file[s].

If you can do something either way: if you know platform X will ALWAYS
want that something, "hard-code" it in the .c or .h; if you want to make
it easier to change for Python programmers, then put it in the setup.py.
Alex