From: tim_one at email.msn.com (Tim Peters)
Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999 04:13:53 GMT
Subject: WinZip vs 0-length files (was RE: trivial import question)
In-Reply-To: <000401be7808$6105e3c0$549e2299@tim>
References: <000401be7808$6105e3c0$549e2299@tim>
Message-ID: <000201be8308$8b824520$ac9e2299@tim>
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X-UID: 1198                                                  

With tne candidate release of Python 1.5.2 just out, this is quite timely!

At various times in March, at least Brad Clements, Lars Marius Garshol and
Tres Seaver spread the rumor that WinZip wouldn't extract 0-length files,
thus causing Python packages depending on an empty __init__.py to fail in
mysterious ways.

I tried reproducing that but had no problems with the latest WinZip, so had
a good time insulting them all <wink>.

But they were right!  Steve Spicklemire provided the missing clue offline:
while WinZip does not have a problem with 0-length files in .zip archives,
it does indeed fail to extract them from .tgz archives.

Nico Mak (WinZip's source) confirmed this, adding that it's a problem for
all of .z, .gz, and .tgz archives (I think .tar belongs in there too), and
said it should be fixed in "a future release" (as opposed, I guess, to a
past release -- only Guido can pull that one off).

Since most Windows distributions get packaged as .zip archives, most times
you shouldn't have a problem.  If you download the 1.5.2c1 *source*
distribution, though, note that there are three files in py152c1.tgz WinZip
fails to extract:

Python-1.5.2c1\Tools\pynche\__init__.py
Python-1.5.2c1\PC\vc15_lib\_.c
Python-1.5.2c1\PC\vc15_w31\_.c

be-careful-it's-an-empty-jungle-out-there-ly y'rs  - tim






