# pyDevSup as a module loadable via require

pyDevSup is not you standard EPICS extension in that it tightly interacts with the 
python interpreter. This causes some issues with Dirk Zimochs module system which 
allows to load support modules through the require command. Most importantly, 
require does not know about python and its modules at all. 


The good news is that it can be made to work but requires a few manual steps.

1) Build the pyDevSup extension in the normal EPICS way in the master branch.

2) This generates a pythonXX/$(EPICS_ARCH)/devsup directory. Copy this directory to
   a safe place.

3) Switch to the module branch and Build the module using the GNUMakefile as 
   normal and install it

4) Copy the saved devsup directory in some place into pyDevSup's module hierarchy. 
   For example: /ioc/modules/pyDevSup/1.2.sinq/R7.0.7/lib/RHEL8-x86_64/devsup

6) In order to successfuly load pyDevSup with require the directory underneath where ypu placed 
   pydevsup needs to be on the python path. For example:
   /ioc/modules/pyDevSup/1.2.sinq/R7.0.7/lib/RHEL8-x86_64

Please use the module branch, I had to hack the initialisation of pyDevSup to make 
it work as a module. 

For RHEL8, I had to remove a few static statements in dbdSet.c in order to solve a missing 
symbols problem. I also had to modify the files in configure somewhat in order to point to 
the proper python version and to suppress the many cross compilations attempted by the default 
build.