diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | Misc/NEWS | 4 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Misc/Porting | 42 |
2 files changed, 44 insertions, 2 deletions
@@ -167,8 +167,8 @@ can now use it to run arbitrary Python scripts in restricted mode). long ago. - Major upgrade to ConfigParser.py; converted to using 're', added new -exceptions, support underscore in section header and option name, no -longer add 'name' option to every section. +exceptions, support underscore in section header and option name. No +longer add 'name' option to every section; instead, add '__name__'. - The ihooks.py module now understands package imports. diff --git a/Misc/Porting b/Misc/Porting new file mode 100644 index 0000000..570eaff --- /dev/null +++ b/Misc/Porting @@ -0,0 +1,42 @@ +Q. I want to port Python to a new platform. How do I begin? + +A. I guess the two things to start with is to familiarize yourself +with are the development system for your target platform and the +generic build process for Python. Make sure you can compile and run a +simple hello-world program on your target platform. Make sure you can +compile and run the Python interpreter on a platform to which it has +already been ported (preferably Unix, but Mac or Windows will do, +too). + +I also would never start something like this without at least +medium-level understanding of your target platform (i.e. how it is +generally used, how to write platform specific apps etc.) and Python +(or else you'll never know how to test the results). + +The build process for Python, in particular the Makefiles in the +source distribution, will give you a hint on which files to compile +for Python. Not all source files are relevant -- some are platform +specific, others are only used in emergencies (e.g. getopt.c). The +Makefiles tell the story. + +You'll also need a config.h file tailored for your platform. You can +start with config.h.in, read the comments and turn on definitions that +apply to your platform. + +And you'll need a config.c file, which lists the built-in modules you +support. Start with Modules/config.c.in. + +Finally, you'll run into some things that aren't supported on your +target platform. Forget about the posix module for now -- simply take +it out of the config.c file. + +Bang on it until you get a >>> prompt. (You may have to disable the +importing of "site.py" and "exceptions.py" by passing -X and -S +options. + +Then bang on it until it executes very simple Python statements. + +Now bang on it some more. At some point you'll want to use the os +module; this is the time to start thinking about what to to with the +posix module. It's okay to simply #ifdef out those functions that +cause problems; the remaining ones will be quite useful. |