PIL in virtualenv on windows x64

in short:

• need to build zlib and jpeglib by using x64 compilers from VS2012
• edit setup.py of PIL, and set *_ROOT variables to include/lib of zlib and libjpeg
• set VS90COMNTOOLS=%VS110COMNTOOLS%
• build PIL by setuptools

in deep:

Initial preparations:

• create new directory like d:\projects\mysite\local\thirdparty (under your virtualenv folder, presumably it is d:\projects\mysite\local)
• add subfolders ‘include’ and ’lib’ to that folder (d:\projects\mysite\local\thirdparty\include and d:\projects\mysite\local\thirdparty\lib)

Build zlib:

• go to http://www.zlib.net/ and download latest source code (http://zlib.net/zlib127.zip)
• unpack package source to d:\temp\zlib-1.2.7
• run cmake-gui tool, set ‘where is the sources’ to d:\temp\zlib-1.2.7 folder; set ‘where is the binaries’ to d:\temp\zlib-1.2.7\_build folder
• click Configure - create new folder - yes. then choose ‘Visual Studio 11 Win64’ from list.
• after configuration is over, click Generate
• open d:\temp\zlib-1.2.7\_build\zlib.sln solution by visual studio;
• make sure that Solution Platforms displays x64 platform
• choose Release from Solution Configuration dropdown;
• right-click on zlibstatic project, and click build
• after build is over, copy d:\temp\zlib-1.2.7\_build\Release\zlibstatic.lib to d:\projects\mysite\local\thirdparty\lib\zlib.lib (rename is critical)
• and copy zconf.h and zlib.h files from d:\temp\zlib-1.2.7\ to d:\projects\mysite\local\thirdparty\include\

Build libjpeg

• go to http://www.ijg.org/ and download latest source code (http://www.ijg.org/files/jpegsr9.zip)
• unpack package source to d:\temp\jpeg-9
• run cmd, and goto jpeg folder (prev created)
• execute "%VS110COMNTOOLS%\vsvars32.bat" command line (it will setup VS environment) - quotes around command are must.
• execute nmake /f makefile.vs setup-v10
• it will create d:\temp\jpeg-9\jpeg.sln solution file. NOTE: it is a solution for VS2010. during the opening by VS2012, you will need to choose ‘Upgrade project files’.
• Select Configuration Manager.. option in Solutions Platforms dropdown
• In configuration manager dialog select New.. on solution plaform dropdown, and select x64 platform (and copy configuration from x86)..
• go away from configuration manager, make sure that Solution Platforms displays x64 platform.
• right-click jpeg project, and click Build
• after build is over, copy d:\temp\jpeg-9\x64\Release\jpeg.lib to d:\projects\mysite\local\thirdparty\lib\jpeg.lib (name is the same)
• and copy jpeglib.h, jmorecfg.h, jerror.h, jconfig.h files from d:\temp\jpeg-9\ to d:\projects\mysite\local\thirdparty\include\

Build PIL

• activate your virtualenv
• execute pip install –no-install PIL
• edit file d:\projects\mysite\local\build\PIL\setup.py
• in beginning of configuration paths block (JPEG_ROOT and etc), add THIRDPARTY = libinclude("d:/projects/mysite/local/thirdparty/")
• and then set JPEG_ROOT and ZLIB_ROOT variables to THIRDPARTY (like JPEG_ROOT = THIRDPARTY)
• execute set VS90COMNTOOLS=%VS110COMNTOOLS% in your virtualenv console
• and then finally execute pip install PIL

If you see “JPEG support available” and “ZLIB (PNG/ZIP) support available” then everything is ok. congratulations!

notes:

• I do not need to support tiff images, and freetype.. but I guess the same approach will work for them too.
• I use python 2.7 x64 here (and my system is win7 64)
• cmake version is 2.8.10
• to build x64 libraries you will need VisualStudio professional edition (not Express)
• if you want to build 32-bit (for 32-bit python installation) then you can use VS Express, the steps are the same (except you don’t need to create x64 build targets)
• I use VisualStudio 2012 (the same should work for 2010 and 2008 editions at least, with minor changes in steps)
• I use static libraries here. If you want to use shared libraries, then you need to build different target in zlib, and adjust configuration of jpeglib; copy lib import files as described above; and you need to copy generated dll-files to local\Scripts folder (because it is in path variable).