MingW

This list of libraries shows the version tested with Pygame 1.8 as well as a link to the actual source bundle used. *note* We should have a download with everything included. As well as patches for each one that we need.

Choose, or create, a directory having a path with no spaces in it (Some library build scripts, and Msys's mount, fail when spaces are present.) Place all the dependency source code directories, along with the Pygame SVN trunk directory, in the directory. All build steps will be done from the Pygame trunk directory, where the necessary scripts are located.

Note that FLAC or ogg-vorbis audio support is not necessary for Pygame to function. The relate libraries can be omitted from the SDL_mixer build by using the msys_build_deps.py exclude option -e.

Dependencies are built using the msys_build_deps.py script found in the root Pygame source directory. Though it requires MinGW and Msys it can be run from the Windows DOS prompt. The program is thoroughly documented with a command line --help option and module level doc string. The following command will build the dependencies and link them to msvcr71.dll.

python msys_build_deps.py --all

Python 2.6 is compiled with Visual C++ 2008 on Windows. This means the corresponding C runtime library, msvcr90.dll, is a side-by-side installation dependent on manifests. To get around this the dependencies are built against another C runtime, msvcrt.dll or msvcr71.dll, and the static library versions converted to DLLs that are placed in a prebuilt directory.

So the first step is to build the dependencies as normal with msys_build_deps.py. Next create the prebuilt directory and copy the libraries and headers to it.

python make_prebuilt.py

Next, replace the libraries with msvcr90.dll linked versions.

msys_link_VC_2008_dlls.py

Finally run config.py, answering n to Is this an mingw/msys build [Y/n]: and y to Use the SDL libraries in "prebuilt"? [Y/n].

Pygame itself is built and installed using the distutils setup.py script. Everything can be done in one step.

python setup.py build --compiler=mingw32 install

The first time setup.py is run it creates a Setup file which specifies the modules to build. When it does it may prompt for additional information.

Seems the Msys install crashes... so when it does, open the cmd prompt and run the command that failed. For me it was the postinstall command.

msys_build_deps.py does have a command line option, -m <msys root directory path>, for specifying the msys directory.

But Msys will still have to be hand configured for MinGW. To do that make sure there is an msys\1.0\etc\fstab file with the line c:/mingw /mingw in it.

Of course replace c:/mingw with the correct MinGW root directory path if it differs. Using forward slashes in the path is necessary.