Creating and Using a Virtual Python Environment
Some terminology if you get lost:
- ez_setup.py
- A Python module which installs the
setuptools
package and theez_install
executable. - ez_install
- An executable in your Python's
bin
directory which can automatically install Python packages. - setuptools
- A Python package which facilitates creating and distributing third party Python packages.
- distutils
- A Python package which is the predecessor of
setuptools
still in wide use. - setup.py
- A Python module which, when placed at the top level of a Python package, tells setuptools or distutils how to install the package. It normally consists of one function call (
setup()
) with numerous arguments.setup.py
is defined by the package author. - Pypi
- The Python Package Index (aka "Cheeseshop"). A master repository of third party Python packages. ez_install downloads packages from Pypi by default. Pypi contains packages in both "egg" form created by setuptools and zipped packages created by distutils.
- egg
- A zipped file created by setuptools which contains a distributable form of a Python package.
- site-packages
- A subdirectory in your Python's
lib
directory which contains your installed third party Python packages.
There are three places to start:
- If you don't yet have a Python compiled separately from your system Python,
- If you have a Python instance separate from your system Python, but it doesn't yet have the setuptools package installed, or
- If you already have a separated compiled Python with the setuptools package installed.
If you don't yet have a Python compiled separately from your system Python
- XXX
- Proceed to:
If you have a Python instance separate from your system Python, but it doesn't yet have the setuptools module installed
- Get the latest version of ez_setup.py (Right click to save as python file)
- Run ez_setup.py with your separately compiled Python: /usr/local/python2.6/bin/python ez_setup.py
- Your separately compiled Python's bin directory will now contain a new executable called ez_install
- Proceed to:
If you already have a separated compiled Python with the setuptools module installed
- Install virtualenv with ez_install: /usr/local/python2.6/bin/ez_install virtualenv
- Your separately compiled Python's bin directory will now contain a new executable called virtualenv