I tried to build a C extension in Python 3.1.2.

    \Python31\python.exe setup.py build --compiler=mingw32

I got a stack-trace:

...
  File "C:\Python31\lib\distutils\cygwinccompiler.py", line 280, in __init__
    CygwinCCompiler.__init__ (self, verbose, dry_run, force)
  File "C:\Python31\lib\distutils\cygwinccompiler.py", line 124, in __init__
    if self.ld_version >= "2.10.90":
TypeError: unorderable types: NoneType() >= str()

This is Windows 2000 SP4, with MinGW 5.1.6.

Can you run the following command:
   ld -v
and paste the result?

\MinGW\bin\ld.exe -v

GNU ld (GNU Binutils) 2.20

I just realised--I didn't have c:\mingw\bin in my path. Once I added that to the path, then the build worked fine.

So I guess the issue is only that the error message is somewhat cryptic.

Ok thanks for you test.

If it can't get the ld version I'll display this message:

"could not detect the ld version. Make sure MinGW is installed and its bin directory is in the path"

I'll do this for 2.7/3.2

To me a better option would be an ability to specify a path to compiler from command line.

--compiler-path=./mingw/bin/gcc.exe

Anatoly: Please open a feature request for distutils2.  Thanks in advance.

Craig: This seems to have fallen out of the radar, sorry.  Someone may propose a patch during the upcoming bug week-end, or we’ll do it.