Initial project config and implement build process

Enhanced the .gitignore to filter out additional build artifacts and Python cache files, promoting a cleaner repository state. Introduced a basic project structure with a new pyproject.toml, defining metadata and build requirements for the 'limedriver' Python package. Also added a LICENSE file and a custom setup.py which automates the retrieval and build of 'limedriver' submodules, streamlining the set-up for development and ensuring consistent builds across environments. These changes lay the groundwork for further development and distribution of the project.

.gitignore

@@ -52,5 +52,15 @@ Thumbs.db
 # Log files
 *.log
 
+# Python cache data
+__pycache__/
+*.pyc
+
+# Cython / Python build files
+build/
+*.c
+src/limedriver.egg-info
+
 # Data
 data/
+venv/

pyproject.toml

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+[project]
+name = "limedriver"
+version = "0.1.0"
+description = "Python bindings for limedriver"
+authors = [{name = "Kumi", email = "limedriver@kumi.email"}]
+license = {file = "LICENSE"}
+readme = "README.md"
+requires-python = ">=3.8"
+classifiers = [
+    "Development Status :: 4 - Beta",
+    "Intended Audience :: Developers",
+    "Topic :: Software Development :: Build Tools",
+    "Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
+]
+
+[build-system]
+requires = [
+    "setuptools>=42",
+    "wheel",
+    "Cython>=0.29.21"
+]

setup.py

@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+from setuptools import setup, Extension
+from setuptools.command.build_ext import build_ext
+
+import subprocess
+import os
+
+from Cython.Build import cythonize
+
+class BuildExtCommand(build_ext):
+    """Custom build_ext command to ensure that the submodule is retrieved and built."""
+
+    def build_extensions(self):
+        os.environ['CXX'] = 'h5c++'
+        super().build_extensions()
+
+    def run(self):
+        if not os.path.exists('extern/limedriver'):
+            self.clone_limedriver()
+
+        self.build_limedriver()
+
+        super().run()
+
+    def clone_limedriver(self):
+        subprocess.check_call(['git', 'submodule', 'init'])
+        subprocess.check_call(['git', 'submodule', 'update'])
+
+    def build_limedriver(self):
+        subprocess.check_call(['./configure'], cwd='extern/limedriver')
+        subprocess.check_call(['make'], cwd='extern/limedriver')
+
+ext_modules = [
+    Extension(
+        'limedriver',
+        sources=['src/limedriver/limedriver.pyx'],
+        include_dirs=["extern/limedriver/src/"],
+        libraries=["LimeSuite"],
+    ),
+]
+
+setup(
+    name='limedriver',
+    
+    cmdclass={
+        'build_ext': BuildExtCommand,
+    },
+
+    ext_modules=cythonize(ext_modules),
+)