[vtk-developers] Re: VTKConfig.cmake new values

[Brad King]

David Gobbi wrote:
> I added two new values to VTKConfig.cmake last week 
> (VTK_EXECUTABLE_DIRS, VTK_RUNTIME_PATH_VAR_NAME, VTK_PYTHON_DIRS) and 
> thought that I should get in touch with you and Kitware to make sure 
> that these additions make sense.
[snip]
> The name 
> VTK_RUNTIME_DIRS is confusing too: it should have been named 
> VTK_RUNTIME_LIBRARY_DIRS to make it obvious that it is meant for 
> libraries, since "runtime" is a vague term.  Is it too late to change 
> that one?

It was added just before the VTK 5.0 branch was made (or shortly after 
and was merged).  I'm not attached to the original name.  I'll look into 
changing it in a somewhat compatible way.

> The VTK_PYTHON_DIRS addition is fairly minor by comparison, it just 
> contains the directories where the python modules (pure python and 
> binary) can be found so that it can be used to set the PYTHONPATH.  
> Another option would be to set a VTK_PYTHON_HOME variable instead, 
> similar to the VTK_TCL_HOME, and generate Wrapping/Python/vtk.pth so 
> that it points to where the binary modules. This would make it work 
> similar to the way pkgIndex.tcl works.  Any opinions on whether the 
> VTK_PYTHON_HOME approach would be preferable?

Whatever is closer to the python-world convention is probably best.

> So I'm hoping that my changes can stay, but I realize that 
> VTKConfig.cmake is not the kind of file that I should modify just to 
> suit my own needs.

They look fine to me.

-Brad