python packaging, egg-info file vs. directory

[Joel Andres Granados]

Toshio Kuratomi wrote:
> Joel Andres Granados wrote:
>> Toshio Kuratomi wrote:
>>> Joel Andres Granados wrote:
>>>> Toshio Kuratomi wrote:
>>>>> Thomas Moschny wrote:
>>>>>> Hi!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Recently encountered a problem with the python-demjson rpm I 
>>>>>> maintain:
>>>>>> The demjson package does not use setuptools, so, in accordance with
>>>>>> the python packaging guidelines, I used the trick of preloading
>>>>>> setuptools prior to executing setup.py, for F7 and F8 only. This
>>>>>> produces an egg-info directory, fine.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Now, for F9, egg-info is generated automatically, but it turns out
>>>>>> that this produces an egg-info file instead of an directory. This in
>>>>>> turn causes problems when upgrading from F8 to F9, because rpm can't
>>>>>> replace a dir with a file.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Any advices on how to solve this?
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Do you have a reason to need eggs on F7 and F8?
>>>>
>>>> Thats strange, I thought it was added because of policy as opposed 
>>>> to reason.  Firstaidkit has no need for eggs, but the reviewer 
>>>> insisted on adding to them.  FWI, firstaidkit chooses to handle the 
>>>> plugins with rpm, which is a valid alternative to eggs.
>>>>
>>> Maybe the Guidelines need rewording.  Can you point at something in 
>>> the Guidelines that could be improved to show that using setuptools 
>>> to add eggs in F7/F8 is optional?  (All packages must handle the egg 
>>> files in F9+ and they must handle eggs created by packages which use 
>>> setuptools normally.  The optional part is when adding eggs to a 
>>> package which doesn't provide them on its own.)
>>>
>>> -Toshio
>>>
>> maybe change it a little:
>> Change the "when to provide eggs"  in 
>> http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Packaging/Python/Eggs
>> "
>> Starting with Fedora 9, our python package provides egg-info for any 
>> distutils and setuptools packages. Since this establishes a base of 
>> functionality that upstream authors can expect, we need to be sure we 
>> include those files when needed. In Fedora 8 and below eggs can be 
>> provided when the package uses setuptools.  In this case eggs are 
>> optional.  In F9+ eggs have to be provided when the upstream package 
>> provides them and are optional when the upstream package does not 
>> provide them.
>> "
> 
> That seems a bit confusing to me as it seems to say that if a package 
> builds eggs it is optional whether to include them.  We really want to 

I see your point.

> be saying: "If the package builds eggs, you must include them.  If the 
> package does not produce eggs you can use this optional setuptools 
> trickery to produce them."  Maybe this is clearer:
> 
> '''
> Since eggs establish a base of functionality that upstream authors can 
> expect, we need to be sure to include the egg files if a package builds 
> them.  Starting with Fedora 9, our python package providses egg-info for 
> any package that uses setuptools or distutils to build.  In Fedora 8 or 
> less, only setuptools packages build eggs.  If you need to provide eggs 
> for a distutils package on Fedora 8 or less, "Providing Eggs using 
> Setuptools" describes a method of substituting setuptools for distutils 
> in the build process so egg-info is built.
> '''
> 
> If this wording is better, I'll change the page to reflect this.
> -Toshio
> 

I would put in a little change.  The reason for the change is that I (the packager) don't really care that the python package provides eggs.  I just want to know when to follow the "put egg in package" guide line.  So I think that info can go away without doing any harm.  Here is How I would put it:

'''
Since eggs establish a base of functionality that upstream authors can expect, we need to be sure to include the egg files if a package builds them.  Starting with Fedora 9, any package that uses setuptools or distutils to build, needs to build eggs.  In Fedora 8 or less, only setuptools packages build eggs.  If you need to provide eggs for a distutils package on Fedora 8 or less, "Providing Eggs using Setuptools" describes a method of substituting setuptools for distutils in the build process so egg-info is built.
'''
Regards

-- 
Joel Andres Granados