[ZODB-Dev] cl.exe failed on setup.py build

[Tim Peters]

[Donnal Walter]
> I didn't realize that a C compiler was required to install
> StandaloneZODB using distutils. For example, I had not planned to
> build from source.

Sorry, I'm not familiar with how StandaloneZODB is distributed, but am
copying someone who is <wink>.  Looking at

    http://www.zope.org/Products/StandaloneZODB

it appears to be distributed only as a source tarball, in which case, yes,
you need a compiler.

> In any case, I don't currently have a C compiler on my machine.
> Furthermore I had not necessarily planned on using the experimental
> Berkeley storages. Is this necessary or highly recommended?

That's the one part you *don't* need a compiler for -- SleepyCat distributes
precompiled Berkeley libraries for Windows.  ZODB has its own components
written in C, including the basic persistence machinery and BTrees, which
are fundamental to its operation.  They need to get compiled.

Which version of Python are you using?  Perhaps someone else in your boat
has what you need on Windows and will share it.