Lib/idlelib/INSTALL.txt

IDLEfork Installation Notes
===========================

IDLEfork requires Python Version 2.2 or later.

There are several distribution files (where xx is the subversion):

IDLEfork-0.9xx.win32-py2.2.exe
IDLEfork-0.9xx.win32-py2.3.exe
	
        These are Windows installers which will install IDLEfork in
	..../site-packages/idleforklib/ and place the idefork startup script at
	..../scripts/idlefork.  Rename this script to idlefork.pyw and point
	your launcher icons at it.  Installation is as idlefork to avoid
	conflict with the original Python IDLE.  Choose the installer
	appropriate for your version of Python.

IDLEfork-0.9xx.tar.gz
	This is a distutils sdist (source) tarfile which can be used to make 
	installations on non-Windows platforms, or on Windows if a custom
	installation is desired.  It installs as idlefork and will not
	conflict with Python IDLE.

	Unpack in ..../Tools/, cd to the IDLEfork directory created, and
	"python setup.py install" to install in ....site-packages/idleforklib.

IDLE-0.9xx.tar.gz
	This is also a distutils sdist (source) tarfile.
	
	** It remains configured to install as idlelib, not idleforklib. **

	First, remove your existing ..../site-packages/idlelib directory.

	Unpack in ..../Tools/, cd to the IDLE directory (note the caps)
	created, and "python setup.py install" to install in
	....site-packages/idlelib.  This will replace the Python IDLE
	installation.

        If you don't want to overwrite Python IDLE, I'd recommend using the
	IDLEfork release mentioned above.  However, it is also possible to
	simply build IDLE without installing it: "python setup.py build" and
	then copy the interrupt.so library out of the build directory into the
	IDLE directory where IDLE can find it,

	In this case, IDLE will not be on your PATH unless you are in the
	source directory.  Either append your PATH or use a fully qualified
	path to access IDLE, something like

	python  /usr/bin/python/Tools/IDLE/idle.py 

	That way you can continue to use the original IDLE at
	..../Tools/idle/idle.py if you like.   (note lower case)

	Using this approach, it's possible to have many different versions
	of IDLE on your system at the same time, for comparison/test.


	On Redhat Linux systems prior to 8.0, /usr/bin/python may be pointing
	at python1.5.  If so, change the first line in the /usr/bin/idle 
	script to read:

	       !# /usr/bin/python2.2


	An RPM has not been released since with addition of the interrupt
	extension it is no longer platform/architecture independent.  The
	distutils make it easy to build and install from the .tar.gz
	distribution.  Certainly it's just as easy as installing the rpm.


	On Mac OS X, /usr/bin/python may be pointing at the OS-installed
	python, which does not have GUI support. Change the first line of
	/usr/bin/idle to read:

		#! /usr/bin/env pythonw

	Also, to build an IDLE application that can be used from the Finder
	on Mac OS X, run:

		pythonw buildapp.py build
		open build

	You will see an IDLE application.

	       
See README.txt and NEWS.txt for more details on this version of IDLEfork.