Set hints to find the python version we actually want. (#785)

The comment in the commit explains the reasoning behind it.

Signed-off-by: Chris Lalancette <[email protected]>

rosidl_generator_c/cmake/rosidl_generator_c_generate_interfaces.cmake

@@ -92,6 +92,22 @@ rosidl_write_generator_arguments(
   ROS_INTERFACE_FILES "${_target_sources}"
 )
 
+# By default, without the settings below, find_package(Python3) will attempt
+# to find the newest python version it can, and additionally will find the
+# most specific version.  For instance, on a system that has
+# /usr/bin/python3.10, /usr/bin/python3.11, and /usr/bin/python3, it will find
+# /usr/bin/python3.11, even if /usr/bin/python3 points to /usr/bin/python3.10.
+# The behavior we want is to prefer the "system" installed version unless the
+# user specifically tells us othewise through the Python3_EXECUTABLE hint.
+# Setting CMP0094 to NEW means that the search will stop after the first
+# python version is found.  Setting Python3_FIND_UNVERSIONED_NAMES means that
+# the search will prefer /usr/bin/python3 over /usr/bin/python3.11.  And that
+# latter functionality is only available in CMake 3.20 or later, so we need
+# at least that version.
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20)
+cmake_policy(SET CMP0094 NEW)
+set(Python3_FIND_UNVERSIONED_NAMES FIRST)
+
 find_package(Python3 REQUIRED COMPONENTS Interpreter)
 
 set(disable_description_codegen_arg)

rosidl_generator_cpp/cmake/rosidl_generator_cpp_generate_interfaces.cmake

@@ -94,6 +94,22 @@ rosidl_write_generator_arguments(
   TYPE_DESCRIPTION_TUPLES "${${rosidl_generate_interfaces_TARGET}__DESCRIPTION_TUPLES}"
 )
 
+# By default, without the settings below, find_package(Python3) will attempt
+# to find the newest python version it can, and additionally will find the
+# most specific version.  For instance, on a system that has
+# /usr/bin/python3.10, /usr/bin/python3.11, and /usr/bin/python3, it will find
+# /usr/bin/python3.11, even if /usr/bin/python3 points to /usr/bin/python3.10.
+# The behavior we want is to prefer the "system" installed version unless the
+# user specifically tells us othewise through the Python3_EXECUTABLE hint.
+# Setting CMP0094 to NEW means that the search will stop after the first
+# python version is found.  Setting Python3_FIND_UNVERSIONED_NAMES means that
+# the search will prefer /usr/bin/python3 over /usr/bin/python3.11.  And that
+# latter functionality is only available in CMake 3.20 or later, so we need
+# at least that version.
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20)
+cmake_policy(SET CMP0094 NEW)
+set(Python3_FIND_UNVERSIONED_NAMES FIRST)
+
 find_package(Python3 REQUIRED COMPONENTS Interpreter)
 
 add_custom_command(

rosidl_generator_type_description/cmake/rosidl_generator_type_description_generate_interfaces.cmake

@@ -12,6 +12,22 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+# By default, without the settings below, find_package(Python3) will attempt
+# to find the newest python version it can, and additionally will find the
+# most specific version.  For instance, on a system that has
+# /usr/bin/python3.10, /usr/bin/python3.11, and /usr/bin/python3, it will find
+# /usr/bin/python3.11, even if /usr/bin/python3 points to /usr/bin/python3.10.
+# The behavior we want is to prefer the "system" installed version unless the
+# user specifically tells us othewise through the Python3_EXECUTABLE hint.
+# Setting CMP0094 to NEW means that the search will stop after the first
+# python version is found.  Setting Python3_FIND_UNVERSIONED_NAMES means that
+# the search will prefer /usr/bin/python3 over /usr/bin/python3.11.  And that
+# latter functionality is only available in CMake 3.20 or later, so we need
+# at least that version.
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20)
+cmake_policy(SET CMP0094 NEW)
+set(Python3_FIND_UNVERSIONED_NAMES FIRST)
+
 find_package(Python3 REQUIRED COMPONENTS Interpreter)
 
 set(_output_path "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/rosidl_generator_type_description/${PROJECT_NAME}")

rosidl_typesupport_introspection_c/cmake/rosidl_typesupport_introspection_c_generate_interfaces.cmake

@@ -76,6 +76,22 @@ rosidl_write_generator_arguments(
   TARGET_DEPENDENCIES ${target_dependencies}
 )
 
+# By default, without the settings below, find_package(Python3) will attempt
+# to find the newest python version it can, and additionally will find the
+# most specific version.  For instance, on a system that has
+# /usr/bin/python3.10, /usr/bin/python3.11, and /usr/bin/python3, it will find
+# /usr/bin/python3.11, even if /usr/bin/python3 points to /usr/bin/python3.10.
+# The behavior we want is to prefer the "system" installed version unless the
+# user specifically tells us othewise through the Python3_EXECUTABLE hint.
+# Setting CMP0094 to NEW means that the search will stop after the first
+# python version is found.  Setting Python3_FIND_UNVERSIONED_NAMES means that
+# the search will prefer /usr/bin/python3 over /usr/bin/python3.11.  And that
+# latter functionality is only available in CMake 3.20 or later, so we need
+# at least that version.
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20)
+cmake_policy(SET CMP0094 NEW)
+set(Python3_FIND_UNVERSIONED_NAMES FIRST)
+
 find_package(Python3 REQUIRED COMPONENTS Interpreter)
 
 add_custom_command(

rosidl_typesupport_introspection_cpp/cmake/rosidl_typesupport_introspection_cpp_generate_interfaces.cmake

@@ -76,6 +76,22 @@ rosidl_write_generator_arguments(
   TARGET_DEPENDENCIES ${target_dependencies}
 )
 
+# By default, without the settings below, find_package(Python3) will attempt
+# to find the newest python version it can, and additionally will find the
+# most specific version.  For instance, on a system that has
+# /usr/bin/python3.10, /usr/bin/python3.11, and /usr/bin/python3, it will find
+# /usr/bin/python3.11, even if /usr/bin/python3 points to /usr/bin/python3.10.
+# The behavior we want is to prefer the "system" installed version unless the
+# user specifically tells us othewise through the Python3_EXECUTABLE hint.
+# Setting CMP0094 to NEW means that the search will stop after the first
+# python version is found.  Setting Python3_FIND_UNVERSIONED_NAMES means that
+# the search will prefer /usr/bin/python3 over /usr/bin/python3.11.  And that
+# latter functionality is only available in CMake 3.20 or later, so we need
+# at least that version.
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20)
+cmake_policy(SET CMP0094 NEW)
+set(Python3_FIND_UNVERSIONED_NAMES FIRST)
+
 find_package(Python3 REQUIRED COMPONENTS Interpreter)
 
 add_custom_command(