def version_str_to_tuple(version_str):
    import re
    import sys

    if version_str == 'HEAD':
        return (sys.maxsize, sys.maxsize, sys.maxsize, sys.maxsize)

    m = re.match(r'(\d+)\.(\d+)(\.(\d+))?(b(\d+))?', version_str)
    if m is None:
        raise ValueError("Bad version string %r" % version_str)

    major = int(m.group(1))
    minor = int(m.group(2))
    patch = int(m.group(4) or 0)
    beta = int(m.group(6) or sys.maxsize)

    return (major, minor, patch, beta)