+#----------------------------------------------------------------------
+# some helper functions
+#----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def Verify_WX_CONFIG():
+    """ Called below for the builds that need wx-config,
+        if WX_CONFIG is not set then tries to select the specific
+        wx*-config script based on build options.  If not found
+        then it defaults to 'wx-config'.
+    """
+    # if WX_CONFIG hasn't been set to an explicit value then construct one.
+    global WX_CONFIG
+    if WX_CONFIG is None:
+        if debug:             # TODO: Fix this.  wxPython's --debug shouldn't be tied to wxWindows...
+            df = 'd'
+        else:
+            df = ''
+        if UNICODE:
+            uf = 'u'
+        else:
+            uf = ''
+        ver2 = "%s.%s" % (VER_MAJOR, VER_MINOR)
+        WX_CONFIG = 'wx%s%s%s-%s-config' % (WXPORT, uf, df, ver2)
+
+        searchpath = os.environ["PATH"]
+        for p in searchpath.split(':'):
+            fp = os.path.join(p, WX_CONFIG)
+            if os.path.exists(fp) and os.access(fp, os.X_OK):
+                # success
+                msg("Found wx-config: " + fp)
+                WX_CONFIG = fp
+                break
+        else:
+            msg("WX_CONFIG not specified and %s not found on $PATH "
+                  "defaulting to \"wx-config\"" % WX_CONFIG)
+            WX_CONFIG = 'wx-config'
+
+
+
+def run_swig(files, dir, gendir, package, USE_SWIG, force, swig_args, swig_deps=[]):
+    """Run SWIG the way I want it done"""
+    if not os.path.exists(os.path.join(dir, gendir)):
+        os.mkdir(os.path.join(dir, gendir))
+
+    sources = []
+
+    for file in files:
+        basefile = os.path.splitext(file)[0]
+        i_file   = os.path.join(dir, file)
+        py_file  = os.path.join(dir, gendir, basefile+'.py')
+        cpp_file = os.path.join(dir, gendir, basefile+'.cpp')
+
+        sources.append(cpp_file)
+
+        if USE_SWIG:
+            for dep in swig_deps:
+                if newer(dep, py_file) or newer(dep, cpp_file):
+                    force = 1
+                    break
+
+            if force or newer(i_file, py_file) or newer(i_file, cpp_file):
+                # we need forward slashes here even on win32
+                cpp_file = '/'.join(cpp_file.split('\\'))
+                i_file = '/'.join(i_file.split('\\'))
+
+                cmd = ['./wxSWIG/wxswig'] + swig_args + ['-I'+dir, '-c', '-o', cpp_file, i_file]
+                msg(' '.join(cmd))
+                spawn(cmd)
+
+        # copy the generated python file to the package directory
+        copy_file(py_file, package, update=not force, verbose=0)
+
+    return sources
+
+
+
+def contrib_copy_tree(src, dest, verbose=0):
+    """Update local copies of wxWindows contrib files"""
+    from distutils.dir_util import mkpath, copy_tree
+
+    mkpath(dest, verbose=verbose)
+    copy_tree(src, dest, update=1, verbose=verbose)
+
+
+
+class smart_install_data(install_data):
+    def run(self):
+        #need to change self.install_dir to the actual library dir
+        install_cmd = self.get_finalized_command('install')
+        self.install_dir = getattr(install_cmd, 'install_lib')
+        return install_data.run(self)
+
+
+def build_locale_dir(destdir, verbose=1):
+    """Build a locale dir under the wxPython package for MSW"""
+    moFiles = glob.glob(opj(WXDIR, 'locale', '*.mo'))
+    for src in moFiles:
+        lang = os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(src))[0]
+        dest = opj(destdir, lang, 'LC_MESSAGES')
+        mkpath(dest, verbose=verbose)
+        copy_file(src, opj(dest, 'wxstd.mo'), update=1, verbose=verbose)
+
+
+def build_locale_list(srcdir):
+    # get a list of all files under the srcdir, to be used for install_data
+    def walk_helper(lst, dirname, files):
+        for f in files:
+            filename = opj(dirname, f)
+            if not os.path.isdir(filename):
+                lst.append( (dirname, [filename]) )
+    file_list = []
+    os.path.walk(srcdir, walk_helper, file_list)
+    return file_list
+
+
+def find_data_files(srcdir, *wildcards):
+    # get a list of all files under the srcdir matching wildcards,
+    # returned in a format to be used for install_data
+
+    def walk_helper(arg, dirname, files):
+        names = []
+        lst, wildcards = arg
+        for wc in wildcards:
+            for f in files:
+                filename = opj(dirname, f)
+                if fnmatch.fnmatch(filename, wc) and not os.path.isdir(filename):
+                    names.append(filename)
+        if names:
+            lst.append( (dirname, names ) )
+
+    file_list = []
+    os.path.walk(srcdir, walk_helper, (file_list, wildcards))
+    return file_list
+
+
+
+#----------------------------------------------------------------------
+# sanity checks
+