Added find_likely_directory to setup.py based on the same function in pydaylight's setup.py. Not yet finished, but the general idea is there.

scripts/python/setup.py

@@ -1,9 +1,30 @@
-###
-## setup.py
+#!/usr/bin/env python
 from distutils.core import *
+import os,sys
 
-# lang = 'c++'
+def find_likely_directory():
+    """Find where Open Babel is installed.
 
+    Order of precedence is:
+      $OPENBABEL_LIBDIR > /usr/local/openbabel
+    """
+    name = os.environ.get("OPENBABEL_LIBDIR")
+    if name: # OPENBABEL_LIBDIR is set
+        if not os.path.isdir(name):
+            sys.stderr.write("WARNING: $OPENBABEL_LIBDIR (%s) is not a directory\n" % name)
+            return name
+    else: # OPENBABEL_LIBDIR is not set
+        sys.stderr.write("WARNING: Environment variable OPENBABEL_LIBDIR is not set")
+        for dirname in ["/usr/local/openbabel"]: # Look for each of these directories in turn
+            if os.path.isdir(dirname):
+               sys.stderr.write("INFO: Setting OPENBABEL_LIBDIR to %s\n" % dirname)
+               name = dirname
+               return name
+
+    sys.stderr.write("ERROR: Cannot find Open Babel library directory\n")
+    return None
+        
+# Need to edit the next statement to use find_likely_directory
 obExtension = Extension('_openbabel',
                         ['openbabel_python.cpp'],
                         include_dirs=['../../src'],
@@ -13,10 +34,9 @@ obExtension = Extension('_openbabel',
 
 setup(name='openbabel',
       version='1.0.0',
-      description='Chemistry interface to Open Babel',
+      description='Python interface to Open Babel',
       author='Geoff Hutchison',
       author_email='openbabel-scripting@lists.sourceforge.net',
       url='http://openbabel.sourceforge.net/',
       py_modules=['openbabel'],
       ext_modules=[obExtension])
-###