setup.py environment markers not supported on EPEL7

[mmathesius]

When attempting to build the python-aexpect package for EPEL7, the build fails with the following error:

+ /usr/bin/python2 setup.py build '--executable=/usr/bin/python2 -s'
error in aexpect setup command: 'install_requires' must be a string or list of strings containing valid project/version requirement specifiers

It appears the older version of python-setuptools available for EPEL7 (package python-setuptools-0.9.8-7.el7) does not support environment markers--which were introduced into setup.py by a recent update.

It should also be noted that the offending line of setup.py is specifying a requirement for python-subprocess32 which is not currently available for EPEL7, but should be made available soon by https://bodhi.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-EPEL-2018-947a26a22d

[mmathesius]

Also possibly related: is the python-subprocess32 package really a build time requirement as indicated by the BuildRequires: python-subprocess32 line in the current python-aexpect.spec? Of only a runtime requirement as indicated in setup.py?

[mmathesius]

FYI, I have worked around this build issue in the Fedora/EPEL package by adding the following to the %prep section of the spec file to strip any environment markers:

%if 0%{?rhel} && 0%{?rhel} <= 7
# old setuptools does not support environment markers
sed -i "/install_requires=/,/]/s/;[^']*//g" setup.py
%endif

Feel free to review https://src.fedoraproject.org/rpms/python-aexpect/pull-request/2

[ldoktor]

@mmathesius it'd be probably better to wait for 1.5.1, which should have this addressed... 1.5.0 is considered broken.

[mmathesius]

@ldoktor Thanks for the warning! I'll hold off merging https://src.fedoraproject.org/rpms/python-aexpect/pull-request/2 and releasing a new Fedora package until 1.5.1 is available.

[mmathesius]

@ldoktor PR #39 fixes this issue.

Will a 1.5.1 release be forthcoming? Or shall I package 1.5.0 including PR #39 as a patch? Or is 1.5.0 considered broken in other ways? Thanks!

[ldoktor]

Current master is fixed and works well, I'm waiting on @lmr to release the new version. Alternatively @clebergnu might take care of that when the time allows it (hopefully soon)

[clebergnu]

@ldoktor 1.5.1 is already tagged. Pushing to PyPI now.

[mmathesius]

Thanks for the fix and new tag!

I have updated the downstream Fedora package pull request to use 1.5.1 and skip the hacky patch listed above. Feedback is welcomed on https://src.fedoraproject.org/rpms/python-aexpect/pull-request/2