The Modules/expat/expat.h and Modules/expat/xmlrole.h contain VMS specific code that actually breaks building python 3.5 on VMS.

Per http://bugs.python.org/issue16136, such VMS specific code should be removed for Python 3.5.


This code may still be needed for the Python 2.7 since that appears to being built using the compiler mode which is to be compatible with VAX/VMS 5.5-1.

@John can you provide a patch to remove the VMS specific code from the two files mentioned?

Modules/expat is not a copy of a module hosted somewhere else?

These files are identical to the files in the expat git repository.

So it looks like I need to submit the fix and get it accepted to that repository first.  And then at some point cPython will pick up the change.

I can still provide diffs if desired, but based on Victor's comment, they would not be applied.

Historical Note:
That VMS specific code is only needed for building on VAX/VMS 5.5-1 and earlier with the long obsolete VAX C.  VAX/VMS 5.5-1 was released in June 1992.

VAX/VMS 5.5-2 was released November 1992, and around that time a new DEC C compiler release appeared that no longer needed that hack, but used it as the default mode for backwards compatibility.  That default mode is not compatible with many Open Source projects.