Why does Python never add itself to the Windows path?

[Ben Sizer]

I've installed several different versions of Python across several
different versions of MS Windows, and not a single time was the Python
directory or the Scripts subdirectory added to the PATH environment
variable. Every time, I've had to go through and add this by hand, to
have something resembling a usable Python installation. No such
problems on Linux, whether it be Mandrake/Mandriva, Fedora Core, or
Kubuntu. So why is the Windows install half-crippled by default? I just
rediscovered this today when trying to run one of the Turbogears
scripts, but this has puzzled me for years now.

--
Ben Sizer

[vbgunz]

Ben Sizer wrote:

I've installed several different versions of Python across several
different versions of MS Windows, and not a single time was the Python
directory or the Scripts subdirectory added to the PATH environment
variable. Every time, I've had to go through and add this by hand, to
have something resembling a usable Python installation. No such
problems on Linux, whether it be Mandrake/Mandriva, Fedora Core, or
Kubuntu. So why is the Windows install half-crippled by default? I just
rediscovered this today when trying to run one of the Turbogears
scripts, but this has puzzled me for years now.

--
Ben Sizer

excellent question

[Eric_Dexter]

I don't seem to have any problem running python programs regardless of
where they are. My platform is windows xp and I have run both 2.4 and
2.5 more details about what version of windows you are running might be
helpfull

https://sourceforge.net/project/show...kage_id=174569

vbgunz wrote:

Ben Sizer wrote:

I've installed several different versions of Python across several
different versions of MS Windows, and not a single time was the Python
directory or the Scripts subdirectory added to the PATH environment
variable. Every time, I've had to go through and add this by hand, to
have something resembling a usable Python installation. No such
problems on Linux, whether it be Mandrake/Mandriva, Fedora Core, or
Kubuntu. So why is the Windows install half-crippled by default? I just
rediscovered this today when trying to run one of the Turbogears
scripts, but this has puzzled me for years now.

--
Ben Sizer

excellent question

[MC]

Hi!

+1

--
@-salutations

Michel Claveau

[Ross Ridge]

Ben Sizer wrote:

I've installed several different versions of Python across several
different versions of MS Windows, and not a single time was the Python
directory or the Scripts subdirectory added to the PATH environment
variable.

Personally, I hate Windows applications that add themselves to the
PATH. So much crap gets put in there that I don't even use the default
system PATH and just set my own explicitly.

Every time, I've had to go through and add this by hand, to
have something resembling a usable Python installation.

If you're installing multiple versions of Python on one machine you're
going to have to do this anyways to ensure the version of Python you
want first in the path actually is first.

No such problems on Linux, whether it be Mandrake/Mandriva, Fedora Core, or
Kubuntu.

Linux distributions normally install themselves somewhere that's
normally in the path already. I suppose you can do the same thing on
Windows if you want, just choose to install Python into directory
that's already in your path. Though installing to something like
C:\WINDOWS\SYST EM32 is probably not a good idea.

Ross Ridge

[Ben Sizer]

Er*********@msn .com wrote:

I don't seem to have any problem running python programs regardless of
where they are. My platform is windows xp and I have run both 2.4 and
2.5 more details about what version of windows you are running might be
helpfull

I don't think the Windows version is relevant. I did point out that
this happens across different incarnations of Windows (98SE and XP the
2 I have on hand to test), and that the problem wasn't specifically
about "running python programs". Basically if you go to a command
prompt and type "python", it won't do anything on a plain Python
install on Windows. Try it on Linux, and probably Mac too, and it'll do
something useful.

Similarly, if you install a Python package that adds to the scripts
directory, you can typically expect to run those scripts from the
command line without having to use the full path - not on Windows.

--
Ben Sizer

[Ben Sizer]

Ross Ridge wrote:

Ben Sizer wrote:

I've installed several different versions of Python across several
different versions of MS Windows, and not a single time was the Python
directory or the Scripts subdirectory added to the PATH environment
variable.

Personally, I hate Windows applications that add themselves to the
PATH. So much crap gets put in there that I don't even use the default
system PATH and just set my own explicitly.

Personally I hate programs that ask to be installed to the root folder
of my hard drive, but Python suggests that as a default too. ;)

In an ideal world, Python should operate pretty much the same across
all platforms. Unfortunately, as it stands, you need to have different
instructions for running things on Windows. eg. The standard "python
setup.py install" invocation isn't going to do a damn thing unless
you've fixed up the path beforehand. The same goes for "python
ez_setup.py", another common favourite. The scripts directory is
important too: TurboGears installs a "tg-admin" script which you're
supposed to run from your project's directory: which on Windows means
you need to type something like "c:\python24\sc ripts\tg-admin" each
time. Half of the people who develop on Mac and Linux don't realise or
acknowledge this. and so the instructions for using their packages
don't work for the average person new to Python who probably just ran
the Windows installer program and thought that would suffice.

Linux distributions normally install themselves somewhere that's
normally in the path already. I suppose you can do the same thing on
Windows if you want, just choose to install Python into directory
that's already in your path. Though installing to something like
C:\WINDOWS\SYST EM32 is probably not a good idea.

The Windows way is typically to install things in Program Files and
then point things there as necessary. Installing it the Linux way would
just cause a different set of problems. Adding it to the PATH variable
is not going to cause problems for the vast majority of people, and
it's far easier to edit up the PATH to remove an entry you don't want,
than to move an installed program from one place to another.

--
Ben Sizer

[WaterWalk]

Ben Sizer wrote:

I've installed several different versions of Python across several
different versions of MS Windows, and not a single time was the Python
directory or the Scripts subdirectory added to the PATH environment
variable. Every time, I've had to go through and add this by hand, to
have something resembling a usable Python installation. No such
problems on Linux, whether it be Mandrake/Mandriva, Fedora Core, or
Kubuntu. So why is the Windows install half-crippled by default? I just
rediscovered this today when trying to run one of the Turbogears
scripts, but this has puzzled me for years now.

Well, after Python is installed on a Windows platform, files with
extention ".py" or ".pyw" are automatically associated with python or
pythonw. If a python script is double-clicked or input something like
"sth.py" in the "cmd" box, the python interpreter is automatically
called. I don't see any proplem or inconvenience with this.

[Dustan]

WaterWalk wrote:

Ben Sizer wrote:

I've installed several different versions of Python across several
different versions of MS Windows, and not a single time was the Python
directory or the Scripts subdirectory added to the PATH environment
variable. Every time, I've had to go through and add this by hand, to
have something resembling a usable Python installation. No such
problems on Linux, whether it be Mandrake/Mandriva, Fedora Core, or
Kubuntu. So why is the Windows install half-crippled by default? I just
rediscovered this today when trying to run one of the Turbogears
scripts, but this has puzzled me for years now.

Well, after Python is installed on a Windows platform, files with
extention ".py" or ".pyw" are automatically associated with python or
pythonw. If a python script is double-clicked or input something like
"sth.py" in the "cmd" box, the python interpreter is automatically
called. I don't see any proplem or inconvenience with this.

In the command line, entering "python" does not run the python
interpreter (unless you modify the settings yourself).

[robert]

Ben Sizer wrote:

I've installed several different versions of Python across several
different versions of MS Windows, and not a single time was the Python
directory or the Scripts subdirectory added to the PATH environment
variable. Every time, I've had to go through and add this by hand, to
have something resembling a usable Python installation. No such
problems on Linux, whether it be Mandrake/Mandriva, Fedora Core, or
Kubuntu. So why is the Windows install half-crippled by default? I just
rediscovered this today when trying to run one of the Turbogears
scripts, but this has puzzled me for years now.

That would put together a great mix-up if app installations add to the PATH. Think of multiple installations etc.
( Note: this is also _NOT_ done on *nix - just a sym link is possibly put into /usr/local/bin or so )

To have something similar on Win I have a C:\bin folder where I put all my small .exe's / installations and all the start vectors (.exe, .bat's....).

The python.exe on Win is very small and just loads the pythonXX.dll. It also finds the right default DLL due to the version engraved in python.exe.
Thus I just copy the small python.exe from my favorite/default Python installation (2.3) into my C:\bin.
Thats probably next to what you obviously want - a "default link".
The Test&Fun-Pythons ( ... 2.2 2.4 2.5 2.6 ) - I have them renamed as e.g. python25.exe also in C:\bin . I make similar links on *nix also.

Perhaps in the future the Python Windows installer should create such pythonXX.exe "links" and maybe even a default python.exe (upon Checkbox in Installer!) into the Windows\system3 2 ?
Robert