cmeel-zlib

Common errors

• ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'cmeel_zlib'

  cause Attempting to directly import `cmeel_zlib` as a Python module.
  fix `cmeel-zlib` does not provide direct Python imports. Its purpose is to provide the underlying C library for other `cmeel`-built Python extensions. For zlib functionality, use the standard library `import zlib`.

• CMake Error: The following variables are initialized to the empty string: ZLIB_LIBRARY

  cause Another `cmeel`-based Python project failed to find the `zlib` C library during its build process, indicating the dependency was not met.
  fix Ensure `cmeel-zlib` is installed in the build environment via `pip install cmeel-zlib`. This package is specifically designed to provide `zlib` as a CMake target for other `cmeel` projects.

• cannot find -lz

  cause A C extension requiring `zlib` failed to link because the `zlib` library could not be found by the linker during compilation.
  fix Install `cmeel-zlib` via `pip install cmeel-zlib`. This provides the `zlib` C library in a way that `cmeel` and other build systems can locate it for linking.

Warnings

• gotcha `cmeel-zlib` is not a direct Python API library; it does not export any Python symbols for direct import or use. Its primary function is to provide the `zlib` C library as a build dependency for other Python packages built using the `cmeel` build system.
  Fix: To use `zlib` functionality in Python, rely on the standard library `import zlib`. `cmeel-zlib` ensures the underlying C library is available and properly linked for other `cmeel`-based extensions.
• gotcha When `cmeel-zlib` is installed, it provides its own distribution of the `zlib` C library. This can potentially interact with or override other system-provided `zlib` installations, leading to unexpected behavior or build conflicts if not managed carefully in complex environments.
  Fix: Ensure your build environment is clean or explicitly manage `LD_LIBRARY_PATH` (or equivalent environment variables) if you suspect conflicts. For most users, `pip install cmeel-zlib` should integrate smoothly, prioritizing its bundled `zlib`.

Install

• pip install cmeel-zlib Install cmeel-zlib

Imports

• No direct Python symbols exported by `cmeel_zlib`
  wrong:

  from cmeel_zlib import compress

  correct:

  This package facilitates the use of the `zlib` C library by other `cmeel`-based Python extensions. For Python-level `zlib` functionality, use the standard library `import zlib`.

  `cmeel-zlib` is a CMake-based distribution of the `zlib` C library. It provides the necessary C library for Python packages that are built with `cmeel` and depend on `zlib`. It does not expose any Python APIs itself for direct import or usage.

Quickstart

After installing `cmeel-zlib`, you can use the standard Python `zlib` module. This package ensures that the underlying C `zlib` library is correctly provided and linked for efficient compression and decompression, especially when other `cmeel`-built extensions depend on it. This example demonstrates basic usage of the standard `zlib` module, which benefits from `cmeel-zlib`'s provision of the underlying C library.

import zlib

data = b"Hello, cmeel-zlib compression example!" * 10
compressed_data = zlib.compress(data)
decompressed_data = zlib.decompress(compressed_data)

print(f"Original size: {len(data)} bytes")
print(f"Compressed size: {len(compressed_data)} bytes")
print(f"Decompressed data matches original: {data == decompressed_data}")
# cmeel-zlib ensures that the underlying zlib C library is available
# and correctly linked for the standard library's zlib module and other
# cmeel-based extensions, potentially offering optimized performance.