Stop calling setup.py, use a build frontend (#2396)

Author: Avasam

.github/workflows/main.yml

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        python-version: ["3.8", "3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13-dev"]
+        python-version: ["3.8", "3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13"]
         architecture: ["x64", "x86"]
 
     steps:
@@ -40,8 +40,7 @@ jobs:
           pip install --upgrade setuptools>=74 wheel
 
       - name: Build and install
-        run: |
-          python setup.py install --user
+        run: pip install . -v --user
 
       # This needs to happen *after* installing pywin32 since
       # AutoDuck/py2d.py currently relies on runtime imports for introspection
@@ -56,15 +55,15 @@ jobs:
         run: python pywin32_testall.py -v -skip-adodbapi
 
       - name: Build wheels
-        run: |
-          python setup.py bdist_wheel --skip-build
+        run: pip wheel . -v --wheel-dir=dist
 
       - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
         # Upload artifacts even if tests fail
         if: ${{ always() }}
         with:
           name: artifacts
           path: dist/*.whl
+          if-no-files-found: error
 
   # We cannot build and test on ARM64, so we cross-compile.
   # Later, when available, we can add tests using this wheel on ARM64 VMs
@@ -75,7 +74,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        python-version: ["3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13-dev"]
+        python-version: ["3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13"]
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
@@ -92,21 +91,19 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           python --version
           pip --version
-          pip install --upgrade setuptools>=74 wheel
+          pip install --upgrade setuptools>=74 wheel build
 
       - name: Obtain ARM64 library files
-        run: |
-          python .github\workflows\download-arm64-libs.py .\arm64libs
+        run: python .github\workflows\download-arm64-libs.py .\arm64libs
 
       - name: Build wheels
-        run: python setup.py build_ext -L .\arm64libs --plat-name win-arm64 build --plat-name win-arm64 bdist_wheel --plat-name win-arm64
+        run: python -m build --wheel --config-setting=--build-option=build_ext --config-setting=--build-option=-L.\arm64libs --config-setting=--build-option=--plat-name=win-arm64 --config-setting=--build-option=build --config-setting=--build-option=--plat-name=win-arm64 --config-setting=--build-option=bdist_wheel --config-setting=--build-option=--plat-name=win-arm64
 
       - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
-        if: ${{ always() }}
         with:
           name: artifacts
-          path: |-
-            dist/*.whl
+          path: dist/*.whl
+          if-no-files-found: error
 
   # This job can be run locally by running `pre-commit run`
   checkers:
@@ -139,8 +136,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        # mypy won't understand "3.13-dev", keeping the CI simple by just omitting it
-        python-version: ["3.8", "3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
+        python-version: ["3.8", "3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13"]
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
@@ -158,7 +154,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        python-version: ["3.8", "3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13-dev"]
+        python-version: ["3.8", "3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13"]
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - uses: actions/setup-python@v5

.gitignore

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ __pycache__
 *.chw
 *.pyo
 *.pdb
+*.whl
 arm64libs/
 pywin32.egg-info/
 PyWin32.kpf

Pythonwin/pywin/framework/mdi_pychecker.py

@@ -361,8 +361,8 @@ def threadPycheckerRun(self):
                 result = "Can't find python.exe!\n"
             elif not os.path.isfile(pychecker):
                 result = (
-                    "Can't find checker.py - please install pychecker "
-                    "(or run 'setup.py install' if you have the source version)\n"
+                    "Can't find checker.py - please install PyChecker "
+                    "(https://pypi.org/project/PyChecker/)\n"
                 )
             else:
                 cmd = f'{py} "{pychecker}" {options} {files} 2>&1'

README.md

@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ To run as a service, you probably want to install pywin32 globally from an eleva
 command prompt - see above.
 
 You also need to ensure Python is installed in a location where the user running
-the service has access to the installation and is able to load `pywintypesXX.dll` and `pythonXX.dll`. In particular, the `LocalSystem` account typically will not have access
-to your local `%USER%` directory structure.
+the service has access to the installation and is able to load `pywintypesXX.dll` and `pythonXX.dll`.
+In particular, the `LocalSystem` account typically will not have access to your local `%USER%` directory structure.
 
 ## Troubleshooting
 
@@ -112,23 +112,7 @@ Install Visual Studio 2019 (later probably works, but options might be different
 follow the instructions in [Build environment](/build_env.md#build-environment)
 for the version you install.
 
-(the free compilers probably work too, but haven't been tested - let me know your experiences!)
-
-`setup.py` is a standard distutils build script, so you probably want:
-
-```shell
-python setup.py install
-```
-
-or
-
-```shell
-python setup.py --help
-```
-
-Some modules need obscure SDKs to build - `setup.py` should succeed, gracefully
-telling you why it failed to build them - if the build actually fails with your
-configuration, please [open an issue](https://github.com/mhammond/pywin32/issues).
+Then follow the [Build](/build_env.md#build) instructions for the build itself (including ARM64 cross-compilation).
 
 ## Release process
 
@@ -147,7 +131,7 @@ Since build 307 the release process is based on the artifacts created by Github
 * Push these changes to github, wait for the actions to complete, then
   download the artifacts from that run.
 
-* Upload .whl artifacts to pypi - we do this before pushing the tag because they might be
+* Upload `.whl` artifacts to pypi - we do this before pushing the tag because they might be
   rejected for an invalid `README.md`. Done via `py -3.? -m twine upload dist/*XXX*.whl`.
 
 * Create a new git tag for the release.

adodbapi/readme.txt

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ Prerequisites:
  and pywin32 (Mark Hammond's python for windows extensions.)
 
 Installation:
-* (C-Python on Windows): Install pywin32 ("pip install pywin32") which includes adodbapi.
+* (C-Python on Windows): Install pywin32 (`python -m pip install pywin32`) which includes adodbapi.
 * (IronPython on Windows): Download adodbapi from http://sf.net/projects/adodbapi.  Unpack the zip.
 
 NOTE: ...........

build_all.bat

@@ -121,13 +121,15 @@ where mc
 
 # Build
 
-One everything is setup, just execute:
+Once everything is setup, just execute the following from the pywin32 directory:
 
 ```shell
-python setup.py -q install
+pip install . -v
 ```
 
-from the pywin32 directory.
+Some modules need obscure SDKs to build - `pip install` should succeed, gracefully
+telling you why it failed to build them with the `-v` flag - if the build actually fails with your
+configuration, please [open an issue](https://github.com/mhammond/pywin32/issues).
 
 ## Cross-compiling for ARM64 (Microsoft Visual C++ 14.1 and up)
 
@@ -155,13 +157,13 @@ from the pywin32 directory.
 - Build the extensions, passing the directory from earlier. You may optionally add the `bdist_wheel` command to generate a wheel.
 
     ```shell
-    python setup.py build_ext -L "<temporary path from earlier>" bdist_wheel
+    python -m build --wheel --config-setting=--build-option=build_ext --config-setting=--build-option=-L.\arm64libs --config-setting=--build-option=--plat-name=win-arm64 --config-setting=--build-option=bdist_wheel --config-setting=--build-option=--plat-name=win-arm64
     ```
 
   - If you are not using an initialized build environment, you will need to specify the `build_ext`, `build` and `bdist_wheel` commands and pass `--plat-name win-arm64` to *each* of them separately. Otherwise you may get a mixed platform build and/or linker errors.
 
 - Copy the built wheel to the target machine and install directly:
 
     ```shell
-    python -m pip install "<path to wheel>"
+    pip install "<path to wheel>" -v
     ```

build_env.md

@@ -1,40 +1,35 @@
 @if "%1"=="quick" goto quick
-@if "%1"=="already_built" goto already_built
 if exist build\. rd /s/q build
 if exist build\. goto couldnt_rm
 :quick
-call build_all.bat
-@if errorlevel 1 goto failed
 py autoduck\make.py
 @if errorlevel 1 goto failed
-:already_built
-rem Now the binaries.
 
 rem Check /build_env.md#build-environment to make sure you have all the required components installed
 
-py -3.8-32 setup.py -q bdist_wheel --skip-build
-py -3.8 setup.py -q bdist_wheel --skip-build
+py -3.8-32 -m build --wheel
+py -3.8 -m build --wheel
 
-py -3.9-32 setup.py -q bdist_wheel --skip-build
-py -3.9 setup.py -q bdist_wheel --skip-build
+py -3.9-32 -m build --wheel
+py -3.9 -m build --wheel
 
-py -3.10-32 setup.py -q bdist_wheel --skip-build
-py -3.10 setup.py -q bdist_wheel --skip-build
+py -3.10-32 -m build --wheel
+py -3.10 -m build --wheel
 
-py -3.11-32 setup.py -q bdist_wheel --skip-build
-py -3.11 setup.py -q bdist_wheel --skip-build
+py -3.11-32 -m build --wheel
+py -3.11 -m build --wheel
 
-py -3.12-32 setup.py -q bdist_wheel --skip-build
-py -3.12 setup.py -q bdist_wheel --skip-build
+py -3.12-32 -m build --wheel
+py -3.12 -m build --wheel
 
-py -3.13-32 setup.py -q bdist_wheel --skip-build
-py -3.13 setup.py -q bdist_wheel --skip-build
+py -3.13-32 -m build --wheel
+py -3.13 -m build --wheel
 
 rem Check /build_env.md#build-environment to make sure you have all the required ARM64 components installed
-py -3.10 setup.py -q build_ext --plat-name win-arm64 build --plat-name win-arm64 bdist_wheel --plat-name win-arm64
-py -3.11 setup.py -q build_ext --plat-name win-arm64 build --plat-name win-arm64 bdist_wheel --plat-name win-arm64
-py -3.12 setup.py -q build_ext --plat-name win-arm64 build --plat-name win-arm64 bdist_wheel --plat-name win-arm64
-py -3.13 setup.py -q build_ext --plat-name win-arm64 build --plat-name win-arm64 bdist_wheel --plat-name win-arm64
+py -3.10 -m build --wheel --config-setting=--build-option=build_ext --config-setting=--build-option=--plat-name=win-arm64 --config-setting=--build-option=build --config-setting=--build-option=--plat-name=win-arm64 --config-setting=--build-option=bdist_wheel --config-setting=--build-option=--plat-name=win-arm64
+py -3.11 -m build --wheel --config-setting=--build-option=build_ext --config-setting=--build-option=--plat-name=win-arm64 --config-setting=--build-option=build --config-setting=--build-option=--plat-name=win-arm64 --config-setting=--build-option=bdist_wheel --config-setting=--build-option=--plat-name=win-arm64
+py -3.12 -m build --wheel --config-setting=--build-option=build_ext --config-setting=--build-option=--plat-name=win-arm64 --config-setting=--build-option=build --config-setting=--build-option=--plat-name=win-arm64 --config-setting=--build-option=bdist_wheel --config-setting=--build-option=--plat-name=win-arm64
+py -3.13 -m build --wheel --config-setting=--build-option=build_ext --config-setting=--build-option=--plat-name=win-arm64 --config-setting=--build-option=build --config-setting=--build-option=--plat-name=win-arm64 --config-setting=--build-option=bdist_wheel --config-setting=--build-option=--plat-name=win-arm64
 
 @goto xit
 :couldnt_rm

make_all.bat

@@ -9,14 +9,14 @@
 
 To build and install locally for testing etc, you need a build environment
 which is capable of building the version of Python you are targeting, then:
-  python setup.py -q install
+  pip install . -v
 
 For a debug (_d) version, you need a local debug build of Python, but must use
 the release version executable for the build. eg:
-  python setup.py -q build --debug install
+  pip install . -v --config-setting=--build-option=build --config-setting=--build-option=--debug
 
 Cross-compilation from x86 to ARM is well supported (assuming installed vs tools etc) - eg:
-  python setup.py -q build_ext --plat-name win-arm64 build --plat-name win-arm64 bdist_wheel --plat-name win-arm64
+  python -m build --wheel --config-setting=--build-option=build_ext --config-setting=--build-option=--plat-name=win-arm64 --config-setting=--build-option=build --config-setting=--build-option=--plat-name=win-arm64 --config-setting=--build-option=bdist_wheel --config-setting=--build-option=--plat-name=win-arm64
 
 Some modules require special SDKs or toolkits to build (eg, mapi/exchange),
 which often aren't available in CI. The build process treats them as optional -

setup.py

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # A sample distutils script to show to build your own
 # extension module which extends pywintypes or pythoncom.
 #
-# Use 'python setup.py build' to build this extension.
+# Use 'python -m build' to build this extension.
 import os
 from setuptools import Extension, setup
 from sysconfig import get_paths

win32/Demos/c_extension/setup.py

@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ def __import_pywin32_system_module__(modname, globs):
 
         # There are 2 site-packages directories - one "global" and one "user".
         # We could be in either, or both (but with different versions!). Factors include
-        # virtualenvs, post-install script being run or not, `setup.py install` flags, etc.
+        # virtualenvs, post-install script being run or not, `pip install` flags, etc.
 
         # In a worst-case, it means, say 'python -c "import win32api"'
         # will not work but 'python -c "import pywintypes, win32api"' will,