python-config should be linked

[swsnr]

virtualenv should provide pythonX.Y-config of the python interpreter used for the virtual environment as python-config in the virtual environment.

Usage case: Building of extension modules inside virtualenvs. Some extension modules use autotools as build system. Autotools uses python-config to find the extension module. This fails, if the "python" inside the virtualenv is Python 3, but "python-config" coming from the system Python is Python 2.

[madprog]

My commit is just a try: i don't create any pythonX.Y-config, only a unique python-config in the bin dir…

[josharian]

Can't speak to the patch, but definitely +1 on linking python-config.

One example of a case in which this matters is brew install opencv.

[madprog]

@josharian: I encoutered the issue while installing opencv too.

[hoangelos]

I encountered this too. Is this going to be make live. I need this!

[wiseman]

Any update on this?

[offbyone]

I just ran into this issue when trying to configure bind10; it's depending on python-config to set up its python dependency. What's the word on merging this in?

[hoodie]

I agree, this is a musthave.
It already cost me at least 2h of todays work to find the problem.
Please fix.
Thank you.

[mateodelnorte]

+1

[bchretien]

👍 This can be handy to find the proper include directory containing Python.h.

[wookayin]

+1
This is needed, to deal with annoying troubles on building (native) extensions.

[mentalbrew]

+1 also. This issue dates to 2011. Any idea if this is going to be addressed?

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Just add a comment if you want to keep it open. Thank you for your contributions.

[StefanD986]

I posted this on the python-ideas mailinglist as possible feature for the standard library venv module.

@lunaryorn , @madprog @josharian @hoangelos @wiseman @offbyone @mentalbrew @bchretien @hoodie @wookayin and anyone who's stumbling on this issue:
If this is still relevant for you, please give it a thumbs up in the discussion here (You can log in with your github account): https://mail.python.org/archives/list/[email protected]/thread/QTCPOM5YBOKCWWNPDP7Z4QL2K6OWGSHL/