Does xcb really need python?

[Barton C Massey]

In message <20090316055209.GA4106 at comet> you wrote:
> On 07:48 Sun 15 Mar     , David Wuertele wrote:
> > I tried compiling libX11-1.2 but it asked for
> > libxcb-1.1.92 or newer.  I tried compiling libxcb-1.1.92
> > but it asked for python-2.5 or newer.  Because of the
> > crazy package dependencies in my workstation, upgrading
> > its python-2.3 to python-2.5 is impossible (hooray for
> > outsourced IT).  Also, my build script has to work for
> > dozens of developers who have the same python version as
> > me and the same inability to upgrade.  I forced libxcb's
> > configure script to accept my python version, but then
> > libxcb died during the build due to the incompatibility.
> > 
> > Stymied by the python requirement, I tried backing down
> > to libxcb-1.1 which doesn't require it.  That compiled
> > fine.  But now I had to back down to libX11-1.1.
> > libX11-1.1's build failed due to what appears to be a
> > known > bug.  Googling says that the only cure is to go
> > to libX11-1.2!
> 
> This should do the trick with libX11:
> 
> ./configure --without-xcb

Also, the Python is only used to generate some generic C
code.  So if you want to stick with Xlib/XCB, just build
xcb/proto and xcb/libxcb on some machine with newer Python
and copy the generated C files over.

You should maybe file a couple of bugs against XCB: one
about not shipping generated C, and one about requiring
new-ish Python.  I'm thinking offhand that the right fix for
the generated C bug is to have a separate package (or two)
available with current generated files in it.  We may not be
able to reasonably fix the Python one, depending on how much
damage it would require to the current Python code).

    Bart Massey
    bart at cs.pdx.edu