How to build Python modules on windows?

[.]

Hi,

how can I build python modules on windows? I tried to build numarray[0]
using Microsoft Visual C++ 2003 Toolkit, but got the following error:

---
error: Python was built with version 7.1 of Visual Studio, and
extensions need to be built with the same version of the compiler, but
it isn't installed.
---

So do I need to buy Visual Studio 7.1 to be able to build python modules
on windows? That would explain why there are so few binary packages
available. If this is true, has the python community considerred
switching to compile the standard python distribution using the freely
available compiler from Microsoft?

Thanks in advance for any hints!

Markus
[0]: I do not need to install numarray, but find a decent way to package
and build self-made extensions and use numarray here as an example

[Qiangning Hong]

". <"@bag.python.org wrote:

Hi,

how can I build python modules on windows? I tried to build numarray[0]
using Microsoft Visual C++ 2003 Toolkit, but got the following error:

---
error: Python was built with version 7.1 of Visual Studio, and
extensions need to be built with the same version of the compiler, but
it isn't installed.
---

Are you sure you have setup the environment variables before you build?

Here is a reference: "Building Python Extensions with the MS Toolkit
Compiler" (http://www.vrplumber.com/programming/mstoolkit/)

[snip]

--
Qiangning Hong

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as an editor. Since I'm hooked to that, all IDEs I've used so far have
failed to impress me.
-- Sybren Stuvel @ c.l.python

Get Firefox!
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[.]

Hi,

how can I build python modules on windows? I tried to build numarray[0]
using Microsoft Visual C++ 2003 Toolkit, but got the following error:

---
error: Python was built with version 7.1 of Visual Studio, and
extensions need to be built with the same version of the compiler, but
it isn't installed.
---

Are you sure you have setup the environment variables before you build?

Here is a reference: "Building Python Extensions with the MS Toolkit
Compiler" (http://www.vrplumber.com/programming/mstoolkit/)

Thanks for the pointer. The page states at the beginning:

"Note that this document represents the findings of a very limited set
of tests with what is essentially an unsupported approach to building
extensions. You should expect to find bugs. No warranty is made that
the approach outlined is safe or appropriate."

This raises the question: What is the 'supported' way of building
extensions on Windows? Do I need Visual Studio for that?

Thanks in advance,

Markus