Python: how to deal with several .pyd dependencies with the same name?

Question

I have in my python workspace two Modules which need sip.pyd
Module1.pyd needs sip.pyd (which implements v 8.0-8.1)
Module2.pyd needs sip.pyd (another file, that implements v6.0)

So I can't just choose the newer one, it doesn't work: I have to keep them both!

(RuntimeError: the sip module implements API v6.0 but the fbx module requires API v8.1)

How can I import a module in .pyd extension (a python dll, not editable), and specify which sip.pyd to source?

As for a workaround, I manage to do that:

1. One sip.pyd is in my root site-packages location.
2. If I have to import the module that need the other sip.pyd, I remove root path form sys.path, and I append the precise folder path where the other sip.pyd are.
3. I can import my Module and restore previous sys.path.

Answer 1

Assuming you don't have a piece of code needing both files at once. I'd recommend the following:

• install both files in 2 separate directories (call them e.g. sip-6.0 and sip-8.0), that you'll place in site-packages/

• write a sip_helper.py file with code looking like

sip_helper.py contents:

import sys
import re
from os.path import join, dirname
def install_sip(version='6.0'):
    assert version in ('6.0', '8.0'), "unsupported version"
    keep = []
    if 'sip' in sys.modules:
       del sys.modules['sip']
    for path in sys.path:
        if not re.match('.*sip\d\.\d', path):
            keep.append(path)
    sys.path[:] = keep # remove other paths
    sys.path.append(join(dirname(__file__), 'sip-%s' % version))

• put sip_helper.py in site_packages (the parent directory of the sip-6.0 and sip-8.0 directories)
• call sip_helper.install_sip at the startup of your programs

Answer 2

VirtualEnv is done to handle those case.

virtualenv is a tool to create isolated Python environments.

Using virtualenv, you will be able to create 2 environements, one with the sip.pyd in version 8.x another in version 6.0

Answer 3

I don't know if that works (if a module's name has to match its contents), but can't you just rename them to sip6.pyd resp. sip8.pyd and then do

if need6:
    import sip6 as sip
else:
    import sip8 as sip

?