Better error messages when a external dependency isn't found

[dstufft]

Is there any way to give a better error message when an external dependency, like libxml2, is not found for a project?

[brainwane]

Is this still an issue?

[ncoghlan]

Yep. When installing from source, you'll get a cryptic compile error, while installing from a wheel file will give an import error when the relevant extension module fails to load.

[njsmith]

It has become less common, though, now that many projects provide self-contained wheels.

[pradyunsg]

Is this still relevant?

[merwok]

The group at https://github.com/pypackaging-native/ is trying to wrangle this area of issues.