revno and commit_date in app code

[george young]

[bzr-0.0.9, linux]
I'm starting to use bzr for my main application (in python).
One thing that I need, somehow, is for an installed instance of
the app to know it's rev_no, and if possible, also it's commit date and
committer.  I used to do this in CVS with the imbedded keyword values:

cvs_rev = '$Revision: 1.1.1.1 $'[11:-2]
cvs_date = '$Date: 2004/03/05 18:19:33 $'[7:-2]
cvs_author = '$Author: geoyou $'[9:-2]


My current bzr hack is this script(kludged from show_info.py), run by make:

   #!/usr/bin/env python2.4
   import bzrlib.branch

   branch = bzrlib.branch.Branch.open_containing(None)
   rev_no = branch.revno()
   rev = branch.get_revision(branch.revision_history()[-1])
   rev_timestamp = rev.timestamp
   print 'import datetime\n' \
         'rev_no = %s\n' \
         'rev_date = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(%d)' % (rev_no, rev_timestamp)


Make install runs "bzr_get_rev_info.py >rev_info.py", and
the app imports the resultant module.  Of course, rev_info.py can not
be part of the bzr revision, because it can only be created after the commit.

Is there some cleaner, more stable way to do this?  I could spend some time
hacking bzr, if someone would suggest a useful path for me that's not too
laborious.  Is anyone working on or thinking about cvs-like keywords, or
commit trigger hooks?  Any comments, raves, criticisms are welcome.


-- George

-- 
"Are the gods not just?"  "Oh no, child.
What would become of us if they were?" (CSL)