Revision 29 as of 2015-11-27 14:30:37

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Even if Python is an interpreted language, you may need to install Windows C++ compilers in some cases. Unlike Linux, compilers for Windows are not included by default in the OS.

By example, you will need to use them if you want :

Microsoft provide official C++ compilers called Visual C++, you can find them with Visual Studio or, for some versions, in standalone distribution. Some alternates compilers exists like MinGW, but some incompatibilities may occur with CPython official distribution which is build with Microsoft Visual C++.

The compiler architecture must be the same as Python (Example: If you use Python 64bit, you have to use a x64 compiler).

Which Microsoft Visual C++ compiler use with a specified Python version ?

Each Python version use a specific compiler version (Example : CPython 2.7 use Visual C++ 9.0, CPython 3.3 use Visual C++ 10.0, ...). So, you need to install the compiler version linked to your Python version :

Visual C++

CPython

14.0

3.5

10.0

3.3, 3.4

9.0

2.6, 2.7, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2

Compilers Installation and configuration

Compatible architectures is specified for each compiler between brackets.

This table resume architecture names correspondence:

Windows

Architecture

32Bit

x86

64Bit

x64

64Bit Itanium

ia64

Microsoft Visual C++ 14.0 standalone: Visual C++ Build Tools 2015 (x86, x64, ARM)

This is the standalone version of Visual C++ 14.0 compiler, you don't need to install Visual Studio 2015.

You have to run your commands from Visual C++ Build Tools Command Prompt (C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual C++ Build Tools\) each time you want compile with Python.

(!) If you want automatic use of this compiler with Python, you can also edit the C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 14.0\VC\vcvarsall.bat and replace its content with the following text :

   1 rem Vcvarsall for Visual C++ Build Tools 2015
   2 @echo off
   3 set vcprogramfiles=%ProgramFiles(x86)%
   4 if "%vcprogramfiles%"=="" set vcprogramfiles=%ProgramFiles%
   5 call "%vcprogramfiles%\Microsoft Visual C++ Build Tools\vcbuildtools.bat" %*

Microsoft Visual C++ 14.0 with Visual Studio 2015 (x86, x64, ARM)

Visual Studio 2015 contain Visual C++ 14.0 compiler. Distutils will automatically detect the compiler and use it.

Microsoft Visual C++ 10.0 standalone: Windows SDK 7.1 (x86, x64, ia64)

This is the standalone version of Visual C++ 10.0 compiler, you don't need to install Visual Studio 2010.

You have to run your commands from Windows SDK 7.1 Command Prompt (C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.1\Bin\SetEnv.cmd) each time you want compile with Python. By default, SetEnv.cmd use the x86 architecture, use /x64 or /ia64 arguments for change it.

(!) If you want automatic use of this compiler with Python, you can also edit the C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\VC\vcvarsall.bat file and replace its content with the following text :

   1 rem Vcvarsall for Windows SDK 7.1
   2 @echo off
   3 if /i "%1" == "x64" (
   4     set vcvararch=x64
   5 ) else if /i "%1" == "amd64" (
   6     set vcvararch=x64
   7 ) else if /i "%1" == "x86_amd64" (
   8     set vcvararch=x64
   9 ) else if /i "%1" == "ia64" (
  10     set vcvararch=ia64
  11 ) else if /i "%1" == "x86_ia64" (
  12     set vcvararch=ia64
  13 ) else (
  14     set vcvararch=x86
  15 )
  16 set vcprogramfiles=%ProgramFiles(x86)%
  17 if "%vcprogramfiles%"=="" set vcprogramfiles=%ProgramFiles%
  18 call "%vcprogramfiles%\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.1\Bin\SetEnv.cmd" /%vcvararch%

Microsoft Visual C++ 10.0 with Visual Studio 2010 (x86, x64, ia64)

Visual Studio 2010 contain Visual C++ 10.0 compiler. Distutils will automatically detect the compiler and use it.

Microsoft Visual C++ 9.0 standalone: Visual C++ Compiler for Python 2.7 (x86, x64)

This is the standalone version of Visual C++ 9.0 compiler, you don't need to install Visual Studio 2008.

pip install --upgrade setuptools

{i} Even if this compiler specify Python 2.7, you can use it with all Python versions using Visual C++ 9.0.

Microsoft Visual C++ 9.0 standalone: Windows SDK 7.0 (x86, x64, ia64)

This is the standalone version of Visual C++ 9.0 compiler, you don't need to install Visual Studio 2008.

/!\ The use of Microsoft Visual C++ Compiler for Python 2.7 is recommended. See the previous paragraph for install it.

You have to run your commands from Windows SDK 7.0 Command Prompt (C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.0\Bin\SetEnv.cmd) each time you want compile with Python. By default, SetEnv.cmd use the x86 architecture, use /x64 or /ia64 arguments for change it.

Microsoft Visual C++ 9.0 standalone: Windows SDK 6.1 (x86, x64, ia64)

This is the standalone version of Visual C++ 9.0 compiler, you don't need to install Visual Studio 2008.

/!\ Windows SDK 6.1 was upgrade by Microsoft to Windows SDK 7.0. See the previous paragraph for install it.

You have to run your commands from Windows SDK 6.1 Command Prompt (C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v6.1\Bin\SetEnv.cmd) each time you want compile with Python. By default, SetEnv.cmd use the x86 architecture, use /x64 or /ia64 arguments for change it.

Microsoft Visual C++ 9.0 with Visual Studio 2008 (x86, x64, ia64)

Visual Studio 2008 contain Visual C++ 9.0 compiler. Distutils will automatically detect the compiler and use it.

MinGW (x86)

MinGW is an alternate C++ compiler that work with all Python versions.

   1 [build]
   2 compiler=mingw32
   3 
   4 [build_ext]
   5 compiler=mingw32

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