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Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +00001\documentclass{howto}
2\usepackage{ltxmarkup}
3\usepackage{times}
Greg Ward7593eb32000-04-09 03:59:15 +00004\usepackage{distutils}
Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +00005
6\title{Installing Python Modules}
7
8% The audience for this document includes people who don't know anything
9% about Python and aren't about to learn the language just in order to
10% install and maintain it for their users, i.e. system administrators.
11% Thus, I have to be sure to explain the basics at some point:
12% sys.path and PYTHONPATH at least. Should probably give pointers to
13% other docs on "import site", PYTHONSTARTUP, PYTHONHOME, etc.
14%
15% Also, I need to take into account that most modules out there don't
16% (yet) use Distutils: briefly explain the old Makefile.pre.in
17% convention (maybe move material from the E&E manual to here?), and
18% explain where to copy .py and .so files manually if the distribution
19% doesn't provide a mechanism for doing so.
20%
21% Finally, it might be useful to include all the material from my "Care
22% and Feeding of a Python Installation" talk in here somewhere. Yow!
23
Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +000024\author{Greg Ward}
25\authoraddress{E-mail: \email{gward@python.net}}
26
Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +000027
28\begin{document}
29
30\maketitle
31
32%\begin{abstract}
33%\noindent
34%Abstract this!
35%\end{abstract}
36
37\tableofcontents
38
39\section{Introduction}
40\label{sec:intro}
41
Greg Ward6002ffc2000-04-09 20:54:50 +000042Although Python's extensive standard library covers many programming
43needs, there often comes a time when you need to add some new
44functionality to your Python installation in the form of third-party
45modules. This might be necessary to support your own programming, or to
46support an application that you want to use and that happens to be
47written in Python.
48
49In the past, there has been little support for adding third-party
50modules to an existing Python installation. With the introduction of
51the Python Distribution Utilities (Distutils for short) in Python 1.6,
52this is starting to change. Not everything will change overnight,
53though, so while this document concentrates on installing module
54distributions that use the Distutils, we will also spend some time
55dealing with the old ways.
56
57This document is aimed primarily at the people who need to install
58third-party Python modules: end-users and system administrators who just
59need to get some Python application running, and existing Python
60programmers who want to add some new goodies to their toolbox. You
61don't need to know Python to read this document; there will be some
62brief forays into using Python's interactive mode to explore your
63installation, but that's it. If you're looking for information on how
64to distribute your own Python modules so that others may use them, see
65the ``Distributing Python Modules'' manual.
Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +000066
67
Greg Ward6002ffc2000-04-09 20:54:50 +000068\subsection{Best case: trivial installation}
69\label{sec:trivial-inst}
70
71In the best case, someone will have prepared a special version of the
72module distribution you want to install that is targeted specifically at
73your platform and is installed just like any other software on your
74platform. For example, the module developer might make an executable
75installer available for Windows users, an RPM package for users of
76RPM-based Linux systems (Red Hat, SuSE, Mandrake, and many others), a
77Debian package for users of Debian-based Linux systems (Debian proper,
78Caldera, Corel, etc.), and so forth.
79
80In that case, you would download the installer appropriate to your
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +000081platform and do the obvious thing with it: run it if it's an executable
82installer, \code{rpm --install} it if it's an RPM, etc. You don't need
83to run Python or a setup script, you don't need to compile
84anything---you might not even need to read any instructions (although
85it's always a good idea to do so anyways).
Greg Ward6002ffc2000-04-09 20:54:50 +000086
87Of course, things will not always be that easy. You might be interested
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +000088in a module distribution that doesn't have an easy-to-use installer for
89your platform. In that case, you'll have to start with the source
90distribution released by the module's author/maintainer. Installing
91from a source distribution is not too hard, as long as the modules are
92packaged in the standard way. The bulk of this document is about
93building and installing modules from standard source distributions.
Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +000094
95
Greg Ward6002ffc2000-04-09 20:54:50 +000096\subsection{The new standard: Distutils}
97\label{sec:new-standard}
98
99If you download a module source distribution, you can tell pretty
100quickly if was packaged and distributed in the standard way, i.e. using
101the Distutils. First, the distribution's name and version number will
102be featured prominently in the name of the downloaded archive, e.g.
103\file{foo-1.0.tar.gz} or \file{widget-0.9.7.zip}. Next, the archive
104will unpack into a similarly-named directory: \file{foo-1.0} or
105\file{widget-0.9.7}. Additionally, the distribution will contain a
106setup script \file{setup.py}, and a \file{README.txt} (or possibly
107\file{README}), which should explain that building and installing the
108module distribution is a simple matter of running
109\begin{verbatim}
110python setup.py install
111\end{verbatim}
112
113If all these things are true, then you already know how to build and
114install the modules you've just downloaded: run the command above.
115Unless you need to install things in a non-standard way or customize the
116build process, you don't really need this manual. Or rather, the above
117command is everything you need to get out of this manual.
Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +0000118
119
Greg Ward6002ffc2000-04-09 20:54:50 +0000120\subsection{The old way: no standards}
121\label{sec:old-way}
Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +0000122
Greg Ward6002ffc2000-04-09 20:54:50 +0000123Before the Distutils, there was no infrastructure to support installing
124third-party modules in a consistent, standardized way. Thus, it's not
125really possible to write a general manual for installing Python modules
126that don't use the Distutils; the only truly general statement that can
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000127be made is, ``Read the module's own installation instructions.''
Greg Ward6002ffc2000-04-09 20:54:50 +0000128
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000129However, if such instructions exists at all, they are often woefully
130inadequate and targeted at experienced Python developers. Such users
131are already familiar with how the Python library is laid out on their
132platform, and know where to copy various files in order for Python to
133find them. This document makes no such assumptions, and explains how
134the Python library is laid out on three major platforms (Unix, Windows,
135and Mac~OS), so that you can understand what happens when the Distutils
136do their job \emph{and} know how to install modules manually when the
137module author fails to provide a setup script.
Greg Ward6002ffc2000-04-09 20:54:50 +0000138
139Additionally, while there has not previously been a standard
140installation mechanism, Python has had some standard machinery for
141building extensions on Unix since Python \XXX{version?}. This machinery
142(the \file{Makefile.pre.in} file) is superseded by the Distutils, but it
143will no doubt live on in older module distributions for a while. This
144\file{Makefile.pre.in} mechanism is documented in the ``Extending \&
145Embedding Python'' manual, but that manual is aimed at module
146developers---hence, we include documentation for builders/installers
147here.
148
149All of the pre-Distutils material is tucked away in
150section~\ref{sec:pre-distutils}.
Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +0000151
152
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000153\section{Standard Build and Install}
Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +0000154\label{sec:normal-install}
155
Greg Ward6002ffc2000-04-09 20:54:50 +0000156As described in section~\ref{sec:new-standard}, building and installing
157a module distribution using the Distutils is usually one simple command:
158\begin{verbatim}
159python setup.py install
160\end{verbatim}
161On Unix, you'd run this command from a shell prompt; on Windows, you
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000162have to open a command prompt window and do it there; on Mac~OS ...
163\XXX{what the heck do you do on Mac~OS?}.
Greg Ward6002ffc2000-04-09 20:54:50 +0000164
165
166\subsection{Platform variations}
167
168You should always run the setup command from the distribution root
169directory, i.e. the top-level subdirectory that the module source
170distribution unpacks into. For example, if you've just downloaded a
171module source distribution \file{foo-1.0.tar.gz} onto a Unix system, the
172normal thing to do is:
173\begin{verbatim}
174gunzip -c foo-1.0.tar.gz | tar xf - # unpacks into directory foo-1.0
175cd foo-1.0
176python setup.py install
177\end{verbatim}
178
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000179On Windows, you'd probably unpack the archive before opening the command
180prompt. If you downloaded the archive file to \file{C:\bslash{}Temp},
181then it probably unpacked (depending on your software) into
182\file{C:\bslash{}Temp\bslash{}foo-1.0}; from the command prompt window,
183you would then run
Greg Ward6002ffc2000-04-09 20:54:50 +0000184\begin{verbatim}
185cd c:\temp\foo-1.0
186python setup.py install
187\end{verbatim}
188
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000189On Mac~OS, ... \XXX{again, how do you run Python scripts on Mac~OS?}
190
191\XXX{arg, my lovely ``bslash'' macro doesn't work in non-tt fonts! help
192 me \LaTeX, you're my only hope...}
Greg Ward6002ffc2000-04-09 20:54:50 +0000193
194
195\subsection{Splitting the job up}
196
197Running \code{setup.py install} builds and installs all modules in one
198fell swoop. If you prefer to work incrementally---especially useful if
199you want to customize the build process, or if things are going
200wrong---you can use the setup script to do one thing at a time.
201
202For example, you can build everything in one step, and then install
203everything in a second step, by invoking the setup script twice:
204\begin{verbatim}
205python setup.py build
206python setup.py install
207\end{verbatim}
208(If you do this, you will notice that running the \command{install}
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000209command first runs the \command{build} command, which quickly notices
210that it has nothing to do, since everything in the \file{build}
211directory is up-to-date.)
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000212
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000213\XXX{concrete reason for splitting things up?}
Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +0000214
215
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000216\subsection{How building works}
Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +0000217
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000218As implied above, the \command{build} command is responsible for putting
219the files to install into a \emph{build directory}. By default, this is
220\file{build} under the distribution root; if you're excessively
221concerned with speed, or want to keep the source tree pristine, you can
222change the build directory with the \option{--build-base} option. For
223example:
224\begin{verbatim}
225python setup.py build --build-base=/tmp/pybuild/foo-1.0
226\end{verbatim}
227(Or you could do this permanently with a directive in your system or
228personal Distutils configuration file; see
229section~\ref{sec:config-files}.) Normally, this isn't necessary.
230
231The default layout for the build tree is as follows:
232\begin{verbatim}
233--- build/ --- lib/
234or
235--- build/ --- lib.<plat>/
236 temp.<plat>/
237\end{verbatim}
238where \code{<plat>} expands to a brief description of the current
239OS/hardware platform. The first form, with just a \file{lib} directory,
240is used for ``pure module distributions''---that is, module
241distributions that include only pure Python modules. If a module
242distribution contains any extensions (modules written in C/C++, or Java
243for JPython), then the second form, with two \code{<plat>} directories,
244is used. In that case, the \file{temp.\filevar{plat}} directory holds
245temporary files generated by the compile/link process that don't
246actually get installed. In either case, the \file{lib} (or
247\file{lib.\filevar{plat}}) directory contains all Python modules (pure
248Python and extensions) that will be installed.
249
250In the future, more directories will be added to handle Python scripts,
251documentation, binary executables, and whatever else is needed to handle
Greg Wardd5faa7e2000-04-12 01:42:19 +0000252the job of installing Python modules and applications.
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000253
254
255\subsection{How installation works}
256
257After the \command{build} command runs (whether you run it explicitly,
258or the \command{install} command does it for you), the work of the
259\command{install} command is relatively simple: all it has to do is copy
260everything under \file{build/lib} (or \file{build/lib.\filevar{plat}})
261to your chosen installation directory.
262
263If you don't choose an installation directory---i.e., if you just run
264\code{setup.py install}---then the \command{install} command installs to
265the standard location for third-party Python modules. This location
266varies by platform and by how you built/installed Python itself. On
267Unix and Mac OS, it also depends on whether the module distribution
268being installed is pure Python or contains extensions (``non-pure''):
Greg Wardd5faa7e2000-04-12 01:42:19 +0000269\begin{tableiv}{l|l|l|c}{textrm}%
270 {Platform}{Standard installation location}{Default value}{Notes}
271 \lineiv{Unix (pure)}
272 {\filenq{\var{prefix}/lib/python1.6/site-packages}}
273 {\filenq{/usr/local/lib/python1.6/site-packages}}
Greg Ward502d2b42000-04-12 14:20:15 +0000274 {(1)}
Greg Wardd5faa7e2000-04-12 01:42:19 +0000275 \lineiv{Unix (non-pure)}
276 {\filenq{\var{exec-prefix}/lib/python1.6/site-packages}}
277 {\filenq{/usr/local/lib/python1.6/site-packages}}
Greg Ward502d2b42000-04-12 14:20:15 +0000278 {(1)}
Greg Wardd5faa7e2000-04-12 01:42:19 +0000279 \lineiv{Windows}
280 {\filenq{\var{prefix}}}
281 {\filenq{C:\bslash{}Python}}
Greg Ward502d2b42000-04-12 14:20:15 +0000282 {(2)}
Greg Wardd5faa7e2000-04-12 01:42:19 +0000283 \lineiv{Mac~OS (pure)}
284 {\filenq{\var{prefix}:Lib}}
285 {\filenq{Python:Lib} \XXX{???}}
286 {}
287 \lineiv{Mac~OS (non-pure)}
288 {\var{prefix}:Mac:PlugIns}
289 {\filenq{Python:Mac:PlugIns}\XXX{???}}
290 {}
291\end{tableiv}
292
293\noindent Notes:
294\begin{description}
Greg Ward502d2b42000-04-12 14:20:15 +0000295\item[(1)] Most Linux distributions include Python as a standard part of
296 the system, so \filevar{prefix} and \filevar{exec-prefix} are usually
297 both \file{/usr} on Linux. If you build Python yourself on Linux (or
298 any Unix-like system), the default \filevar{prefix} and
299 \filevar{exec-prefix} are \file{/usr/local}.
300\item[(2)] The default installation directory on Windows was
Greg Wardd5faa7e2000-04-12 01:42:19 +0000301 \file{C:\bslash{}Program Files\bslash{}Python} under Python 1.6a1,
302 1.5.2, and earlier.
303\end{description}
304
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000305\filevar{prefix} and \filevar{exec-prefix} stand for the directories
306that Python is installed to, and where it finds its libraries at
307run-time. They are always the same under Windows and Mac~OS, and very
308often the same under Unix. You can find out what your Python
309installation uses for \filevar{prefix} and \filevar{exec-prefix} by
310running Python in interactive mode and typing a few simple commands.
311Under Unix, just type \code{python} at the shell prompt; under Windows,
312run ``Python 1.6 (interpreter)'' \XXX{right?}; under Mac~OS, \XXX{???}.
313Once the interpreter is started, you type Python code at the \code{>>>}
314prompt. For example, on my Linux system, I type the three Python
315statements shown below, and get the output as shown, to find out my
316\filevar{prefix} and \filevar{exec-prefix}:
317\begin{verbatim}
318Python 1.5.2 (#1, Apr 18 1999, 16:03:16) [GCC pgcc-2.91.60 19981201 (egcs-1.1.1 on linux2
319Copyright 1991-1995 Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam
320>>> import sys
321>>> sys.prefix
322'/usr'
323>>> sys.exec_prefix
324'/usr'
325\end{verbatim}
326
327If you don't want to install to the standard location, or if you don't
328have permission to write there, then you need to read about alternate
329installations in the next section.
330
331
332% This rather nasty macro is used to generate the tables that describe
333% each installation scheme. It's nasty because it takes two arguments
334% for each "slot" in an installation scheme, there will soon be more
335% than five of these slots, and TeX has a limit of 10 arguments to a
336% macro. Uh-oh.
337
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000338\newcommand{\installscheme}[8]
339 {\begin{tableiii}{lll}{textrm}
340 {Type of file}
341 {Installation Directory}
342 {Override option}
343 \lineiii{pure module distribution}
344 {\filevar{#1}\filenq{#2}}
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000345 {\option{--install-purelib}}
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000346 \lineiii{non-pure module distribution}
347 {\filevar{#3}\filenq{#4}}
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000348 {\option{--install-platlib}}
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000349 \lineiii{scripts}
350 {\filevar{#5}\filenq{#6}}
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000351 {\option{--install-scripts}}
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000352 \lineiii{data}
353 {\filevar{#7}\filenq{#8}}
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000354 {\option{--install-data}}
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000355 \end{tableiii}}
Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +0000356
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000357\section{Alternate Installation}
358\label{sec:alt-install}
Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +0000359
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000360Often, it is necessary or desirable to install modules to a location
361other than the standard location for third-party Python modules. For
362example, on a Unix system you might not have permission to write to the
363standard third-party module directory. Or you might wish to try out a
364module before making it a standard part of your local Python
365installation; this is especially true when upgrading a distribution
366already present: you want to make sure your existing base of scripts
367still works with the new version before actually upgrading.
368
369The Distutils \command{install} command is designed to make installing
370module distributions to an alternate location simple and painless. The
371basic idea is that you supply a base directory for the installation, and
372the \command{install} command picks a set of directories (called an
373\emph{installation scheme}) under this base directory in which to
374install files. The details differ across platforms, so read whichever
375of the following section applies to you.
376
377
378\subsection{Alternate installation: Unix (the home scheme)}
379\label{sec:alt-unix-prefix}
380
381Under Unix, there are two ways to perform an alternate installation.
382The ``prefix scheme'' is similar to how alternate installation works
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000383under Windows and Mac~OS, but is not necessarily the most useful way to
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000384maintain a personal Python library. Hence, we document the more
385convenient and commonly useful ``home scheme'' first.
386
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000387The idea behind the ``home scheme'' is that you build and maintain a
388personal stash of Python modules, probably under your home directory.
389Installing a new module distribution is as simple as
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000390\begin{verbatim}
391python setup.py install --home=<dir>
392\end{verbatim}
393where you can supply any directory you like for the \option{home}
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000394option. Lazy typists can just type a tilde (\code{\tilde}); the
395\command{install} command will expand this to your home directory:
396\begin{verbatim}
397python setup.py install --home=~
398\end{verbatim}
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000399
400The \option{home} option defines the installation base directory. Files
401are installed to the following directories under the installation base
402as follows:
403\installscheme{home}{/lib/python}
404 {home}{/lib/python}
405 {home}{/bin}
406 {home}{/share}
407
408\subsection{Alternate installation: Unix (the prefix scheme)}
409\label{sec:alt-unix-home}
410
411The ``prefix scheme'' is useful when you wish to use one Python
412installation to perform the build/install (i.e., to run the setup
413script), but install modules into the third-party module directory of a
414different Python installation (or something that looks like a different
415Python installation). If this sounds a trifle unusual, it is---that's
416why the ``home scheme'' comes first. However, there are at least two
417known cases where the prefix scheme will be useful.
418
419First, consider that many Linux distribution put Python in \file{/usr},
420rather than the more traditional \file{/usr/local}. This is entirely
421appropriate, since in those cases Python is part of ``the system''
422rather than a local add-on. However, if you are installing Python
423modules from source, you probably want them to go in
424\file{/usr/local/lib/python1.\filevar{X}} rather than
425\file{/usr/lib/python1.\filevar{X}}. This can be done with
426\begin{verbatim}
427/usr/bin/python setup.py install --prefix=/usr/local
428\end{verbatim}
429
430Another possibility is a network filesystem where the name used to write
431to a remote directory is different from the name used to read it: for
432example, the Python interpreter accessed as \file{/usr/local/bin/python}
433might search for modules in \file{/usr/local/lib/python1.\filevar{X}},
434but those modules would have to be installed to, say,
435\file{/mnt/\filevar{@server}/export/lib/python1.\filevar{X}}. This
436could be done with
437\begin{verbatim}
438/usr/local/bin/python setup.py install --prefix=/mnt/@server/export
439\end{verbatim}
440
441In either case, the \option{prefix} option defines the installation
442base, and the \option{exec-prefix} option defines the platform-specific
443installation base, which is used for platform-specific files.
444(Currently, this just means non-pure module distributions, but could be
445expanded to C libraries, binary executables, etc.) If
446\option{exec-prefix} is not supplied, it defaults to \option{prefix}.
447Files are installed as follows:
448
449\installscheme{prefix}{/lib/python1.\filevar{X}/site-packages}
450 {exec-prefix}{/lib/python1.\filevar{X}/site-packages}
451 {prefix}{/bin}
452 {prefix}{/share}
453
454There is no requirement that \option{prefix} or \option{exec-prefix}
455actually point to an alternate Python installation; if the directories
456listed above do not already exist, they are created at installation
457time.
458
459Incidentally, the real reason the prefix scheme is important is simply
460that a standard Unix installation uses the prefix scheme, but with
461\option{prefix} and \option{exec-prefix} supplied by Python itself (as
462\code{sys.prefix} and \code{sys.exec\_prefix}). Thus, you might think
463you'll never use the prefix scheme, but every time you run \code{python
464 setup.py install} without any other options, you're using it.
465
466Note that installing extensions to an alternate Python installation has
467no effect on how those extensions are built: in particular, the Python
468header files (\file{Python.h} and friends) installed with the Python
469interpreter used to run the setup script will be used in compiling
470extensions. It is your responsibility to ensure that the interpreter
471used to run extensions installed in this way is compatibile with the
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000472interpreter used to build them. The best way to do this is to ensure
473that the two interpreters are the same version of Python (possibly
474different builds, or possibly copies of the same build). (Of course, if
475your \option{prefix} and \option{exec-prefix} don't even point to an
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000476alternate Python installation, this is immaterial.)
477
478
479\subsection{Alternate installation: Windows}
480\label{sec:alt-windows}
481
482Since Windows has no conception of a user's home directory, and since
483the standard Python installation under Windows is simpler than that
484under Unix, there's no point in having separate \option{prefix} and
485\option{home} options. Just use the \option{prefix} option to specify
486a base directory, e.g.
487\begin{verbatim}
Greg Ward8e14f052000-03-22 01:00:23 +0000488python setup.py install --prefix="\Temp\Python"
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000489\end{verbatim}
490to install modules to the \file{\bslash{}Temp} directory on the current
491drive.
492
493The installation base is defined by the \option{prefix} option; the
494\option{exec-prefix} option is not supported under Windows. Files are
495installed as follows:
496\installscheme{prefix}{}
497 {prefix}{}
498 {prefix}{\bslash{}Scripts}
499 {prefix}{\bslash{}Data}
500
501
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000502\subsection{Alternate installation: Mac~OS}
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000503\label{sec:alt-macos}
504
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000505Like Windows, Mac~OS has no notion of home directories (or even of
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000506users), and a fairly simple standard Python installation. Thus, only a
507\option{prefix} option is needed. It defines the installation base, and
508files are installed under it as follows:
509
Greg Ward6002ffc2000-04-09 20:54:50 +0000510\XXX{how do MacPython users run the interpreter with command-line args?}
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000511
512\installscheme{prefix}{:Lib}
513 {prefix}{:Mac:PlugIns}
Greg Ward8e14f052000-03-22 01:00:23 +0000514 {prefix}{:Scripts}
515 {prefix}{:Data}
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000516
Greg Ward6002ffc2000-04-09 20:54:50 +0000517\XXX{Corran Webster says: ``Modules are found in either \file{:Lib} or
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000518\file{:Mac:Lib}, while extensions usually go in
519\file{:Mac:PlugIns}''---does this mean that non-pure distributions should
520be divided between \file{:Mac:PlugIns} and \file{:Mac:Lib}? If so, that
521changes the granularity at which we care about modules: instead of
522``modules from pure distributions'' and ``modules from non-pure
523distributions'', it becomes ``modules from pure distributions'',
524``Python modules from non-pure distributions'', and ``extensions from
Greg Ward6002ffc2000-04-09 20:54:50 +0000525non-pure distributions''. Is this necessary?!?}
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000526
527
528\section{Custom Installation}
529\label{sec:custom-install}
530
531Sometimes, the alternate installation schemes described in
532section~\ref{sec:alt-install} just don't do what you want. You might
533want to tweak just one or two directories while keeping everything under
534the same base directory, or you might want to completely redefine the
535installation scheme. In either case, you're creating a \emph{custom
536 installation scheme}.
537
538You probably noticed the column of ``override options'' in the tables
539describing the alternate installation schemes above. Those options are
540how you define a custom installation scheme. These override options can
541be relative, absolute, or explicitly defined in terms of one of the
542installation base directories. (There are two installation base
543directories, and they are normally the same---they only differ when you
544use the Unix ``prefix scheme'' and supply different \option{prefix} and
545\option{exec-prefix} options.)
546
547For example, say you're installing a module distribution to your home
548directory under Unix---but you want scripts to go in
549\file{\tilde/scripts} rather than \file{\tilde/bin}. As you might
550expect, you can override this directory with the
551\option{install-scripts} option; in this case, it makes most sense to
552supply a relative path, which will be interpreted relative to the
553installation base directory (your home directory, in this case):
554\begin{verbatim}
555python setup.py install --home --install-scripts=scripts
556\end{verbatim}
557
558Another Unix example: suppose your Python installation was built and
559installed with a prefix of \file{/usr/local/python}, so under a standard
560installation scripts will wind up in \file{/usr/local/python/bin}. If
561you want them in \file{/usr/local/bin} instead, you would supply this
562absolute directory for the \option{install-scripts} option:
563\begin{verbatim}
564python setup.py install --install-scripts=/usr/local/bin
565\end{verbatim}
566(This performs an installation using the ``prefix scheme,'' where the
567prefix is whatever your Python interpreter was installed with---
568\file{/usr/local/python} in this case.)
569
570If you maintain Python on Windows, you might want third-party modules to
571live in a subdirectory of \filevar{prefix}, rather than right in
572\filevar{prefix} itself. This is almost as easy as customizing the
573script installation directory---you just have to remember that there are
574two types of modules to worry about, pure modules and non-pure modules
575(i.e., modules from a non-pure distribution). For example:
576\begin{verbatim}
577python setup.py install --install-purelib=Site --install-platlib=Site
578\end{verbatim}
579The specified installation directories are relative to \filevar{prefix}.
580Of course, you also have to ensure that these directories are in
581Python's module search path, e.g. by putting a \file{.pth} file in
Greg Ward6002ffc2000-04-09 20:54:50 +0000582\filevar{prefix} (\XXX{should have a section describing .pth files and
583 cross-ref it here}).
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000584
585If you want to define an entire installation scheme, you just have to
586supply all of the installation directory options. The recommended way
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000587to do this is to supply relative paths; for example, if you want to
588maintain all Python module-related files under \file{python} in your
589home directory, and you want a separate directory for each platform that
590you use your home directory from, you might define the following
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000591installation scheme:
592\begin{verbatim}
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000593python setup.py install --home=~ \
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000594 --install-purelib=python/lib \
595 --install-platlib=python/lib.$PLAT \
596 --install-scripts=python/scripts
597 --install-data=python/data
598\end{verbatim}
599or, equivalently,
600\begin{verbatim}
601python setup.py install --home=~/python \
602 --install-purelib=lib \
603 --install-platlib=lib.$PLAT \
604 --install-scripts=scripts
605 --install-data=data
606\end{verbatim}
607\code{\$PLAT} is not (necessarily) an environment variable---it will be
608expanded by the Distutils as it parses your command line options (just
609as it does when parsing your configuration file(s)).
610
611Obviously, specifying the entire installation scheme every time you
612install a new module distribution would be very tedious. Thus, you can
613put these options into your Distutils config file (see
614section~\ref{sec:config-files}):
Greg Ward169f91b2000-03-10 01:57:51 +0000615\begin{verbatim}
616[install]
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000617install-base=$HOME
618install-purelib=python/lib
619install-platlib=python/lib.$PLAT
620install-scripts=python/scripts
621install-data=python/data
Greg Ward169f91b2000-03-10 01:57:51 +0000622\end{verbatim}
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000623or, equivalently,
Greg Ward169f91b2000-03-10 01:57:51 +0000624\begin{verbatim}
625[install]
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000626install-base=$HOME/python
627install-purelib=lib
628install-platlib=lib.$PLAT
629install-scripts=scripts
630install-data=data
Greg Ward169f91b2000-03-10 01:57:51 +0000631\end{verbatim}
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000632Note that these two are \emph{not} equivalent if you supply a different
633installation base directory when you run the setup script. For example,
Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +0000634\begin{verbatim}
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000635python setup.py --install-base=/tmp
Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +0000636\end{verbatim}
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000637would install pure modules to \filevar{/tmp/python/lib} in the first
638case, and to \filevar{/tmp/lib} in the second case. (For the second
639case, you probably want to supply an installation base of
640\file{/tmp/python}.)
Greg Ward169f91b2000-03-10 01:57:51 +0000641
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000642You probably noticed the use of \code{\$HOME} and \code{\$PLAT} in the
643sample configuration file input. These are Distutils configuration
644variables, which bear a strong resemblance to environment variables. In
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000645fact, you can use environment variables in config files---on platforms
646that have such a notion---but the Distutils additionally define a few
647extra variables that may not be in your environment, such as
648\code{\$PLAT}. (And of course, you can only use the configuration
649variables supplied by the Distutils on systems that don't have
650environment variables, such as Mac~OS (\XXX{true?}).) See
Greg Ward29576562000-03-18 15:11:50 +0000651section~\ref{sec:config-files} for details.
Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +0000652
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000653\XXX{need some Windows and Mac~OS examples---when would custom
Greg Ward6002ffc2000-04-09 20:54:50 +0000654 installation schemes be needed on those platforms?}
Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +0000655
Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +0000656
Greg Ward6002ffc2000-04-09 20:54:50 +0000657\section{Distutils Configuration Files}
Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +0000658\label{sec:config-files}
659
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000660\XXX{not even implemented yet, much less documented!}
Greg Ward6002ffc2000-04-09 20:54:50 +0000661
662
663\section{Pre-Distutils Conventions}
664\label{sec:pre-distutils}
665
666
Greg Wardc392caa2000-04-11 02:00:26 +0000667\subsection{The Makefile.pre.in file}
Greg Ward6002ffc2000-04-09 20:54:50 +0000668\label{sec:makefile-pre-in}
669
670
671\subsection{Installing modules manually}
672\label{sec:manual-install}
673
674
675
Greg Ward7c1e5f62000-03-10 01:56:58 +0000676\end{document}