python - Compiling with cython and mingw produces gcc: error: unrecognized command line option '-mno-cygwin'

Question

I'm trying to compile a python extension with cython in win 7 64-bit using mingw (64-bit).
I'm working with Python 2.6 (Active Python 2.6.6) and with the adequate distutils.cfg file (setting mingw as the compiler)

When executing

> C:Python26programasCython>python setup.py build_ext --inplace

I get an error saying that gcc has not an -mno-cygwin option:

> C:Python26programasCython>python setup.py build_ext --inplace
running build_ext
skipping 'hello2.c' Cython extension (up-to-date)
building 'hello2' extension
C:mingwingcc.exe -mno-cygwin -mdll -O -Wall -IC:Python26include -IC:Python26PC -c hello2.c -o buildemp.win-amd64-2.6Releasehello2.o
gcc: error: unrecognized command line option '-mno-cygwin'
error: command 'gcc' failed with exit status 1

gcc is:

C:>gcc --version
gcc (GCC) 4.7.0 20110430 (experimental)
Copyright (C) 2011 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

How could I fix it?

Answer 1

It sounds like GCC 4.7.0 has finally removed the deprecated -mno-cygwin option, but distutils has not yet caught up with it. Either install a slightly older version of MinGW, or edit distutilscygwinccompiler.py in your Python directory to remove all instances of -mno-cygwin.