I'm trying to figure out the best way to install Python for my setup.
I travel between school and home every day and I use a 2TB Portable Drive for my files.
The computers at school are locked so that you cannot install there, but I bet I can install things on my drive and use them fine, as well as use portable applications just fine.
I was looking into ways of getting Python on both my drive and my computer so that my Python on my main computer will always work and my drive's Python is available when I want to work with it.
Of course, the problem is that Python won't install like that. It bricks either installation first, and I saw a post on virtualenv, but it seems like it's more of a project by project based solution for isolating imports/modules of sorts.
I'm not too good with this stuff and installing tons of programs and waiting for them to uninstall only to not figure it out isn't my thing, so maybe someone on here knows what I'm talking about? Thanks.
By the way, yes, I want both installations to have the same pip stuff, the portable one I currently use at school is having a rough time installing things like json, requests and other fun stuff that is essential to my scripts.
I presume your OS is windows.
Try to use cygwin (a linux emulator) that will allow you to install whatever utility you need on the cygwin installation directory (in your case would be your thumb drive). Launching than cygwin from your drive, you have a working environment for pretty much all the things you can imagine. If you export DISPLAY to your windows, than you can have GUI utilities, too.
Related
I have done some image processing works using python 3.5, opencv, scikit modules etc for an unreal engine game application.
I have manually installed python and other modules using pip in my windows system.
Now when a user installs the application, i want python and those modules to be installed auto with the application's installment.
I saw pyinstaller which turns py file to application file but unfortunately could not understand how to work it of what i want.
Thank you for any piece of advice.
First, let me say Python packaging has improved a lot over the years, but is still considered very hard compared to other languages like e.g. golang.
Generally, I see two ways how to bring your applications to your user.
Either make a Python package or create an installable package for an operation system.
A Python package means, you could upload it somewhere (e.g. PyPi) and your users could pip install your_package. This involves a lot of work. A good starting point would be:
https://packaging.python.org/tutorials/packaging-projects/
The second option is to create an installer or e.g. Windows.
There are several tools out there, like the mentioned pyinstaller, more on this page: https://docs.python-guide.org/shipping/freezing/
Also, there is a new option called PyOxidizer ( https://pyoxidizer.readthedocs.io/en/stable/overview.html ).
At work we used cx_Freeze - which worked ok.
Unfortunately, there is no easy way. Have a look at several options, and then decide for one.
Finally making a legitimate mac installer for my product. I've made a successful Windows installer with Inno installer. I'm not sure how to do this in Mac.
This must happen:
-Python is installed
-Wx is Installed
-Py Serial is installed
-Program is copied
-Shortcut is made.
I was doing this with Bash scripts before, but my customers having been complaining about those. Perhaps X-code package maker is the solution? I know the recommended method is "just copy files" but these libraries must be installed somehow.
Thanks in advance!
Unless I am using Fink for installing packages, I usually just download the .tar.gz file from the source and install it from terminal inside the unzipped folder containing the install.py file. Terminal command:
sudo python ./setup.py install
If you would like, I can show you how to set up and use Fink, which is another easy way to install packages / libraries.
tl;dr: py2app will make a self-contained application bundle out of your Python scripts, making it real easy to employ the 'just copy files' installation process. The libraries you need are bundled into the app bundle itself, so they don't need to be installed systemwide.
Also check out Optimizing for Mac OS X from the wxPython wiki; it gives good tips on using py2app and other useful information on building a Mac-friendly Python application.
On OS X, programs are generally installed through one of three ways: the Mac App Store, a package installer (.pkg/.mpkg), or a copyable application bundle on a disk image (.app in a .dmg). Each has its strengths and weaknesses.
The Mac App Store requires that you subscribe to Apple's restrictions and requirements, and may be a good choice for apps expecting wider distribution (though, nowadays, it can be a good way to reach that wider audience easily). Copyable application bundles are by far the simplest installation method pre-App Store, and still remain one of the more popular ways to install programs. Finally, an Installer package is a user-friendly way to install more complex programs requiring more than a simple application bundle (e.g. system services, files in particular directories, system-dependent components, advanced installation logic, etc.). I should note, though, that do exist complex applications which ship as application bundles and perform the bulk of their 'installation' at first run.
My experience with the Mac App Store is limited, so I won't talk about it. You can find more details at the official website.
Python is quite amenable to being shipped as an application bundle. You can use py2app to automatically create an application bundle for the program, and then drop that bundle into a Mac disk image (.dmg) using Disk Utility to create a complete installation package. This doesn't support making shortcuts, but on OS X it is much more usual for users to just drop the app into /Applications and make the necessary dock shortcut themselves if they want.
The next way is to make a metapackage (.mpkg) which will be installed using the OS X standard Installer utility. This is in line with what users will expect from a Mac application. IIRC, both Mac Python and wxPython ship as .pkg already, which should make it easier to integrate them into a metapackage. bdist_mpkg can help with making packages for pyserial and your own program, which can be added to the metapackage. Finally, using the third-party dockutil script, you can automatically add a dock shortcut. Note, however, that installers generally do not add shortcuts to the dock; it is more usual to have a program installed to the /Applications directory.`
Short Description
The question is not meant to ask if using virtual environments are needed, but when using Ian Bicking's virtualenv what is the best way, if any, to manage environments in Windows. If you have multiple ideas, please answer multiple times so the best answers can be voted up. Thanks!
Background
When developing in python, I generally try use Mac osx / bash as much as possible. However there are always projects that I am forced to use Windows on for hardware/driver support. For these projects, I tend to rely on the 'double click' method to run the modules with the registered python.exe. The use of the 'double click' is such a simple way to run multiple threads / tests at the same time, without having to open a new command prompt, drill down to the directory needed, then typing 'python.exe module.py'.
The End Goal
I would like to have a way to manage and utilize virtual environments without having to be at the command prompt (Windows only)
Wish List
1. Be able to install modules from either pip (command line) or from binaries (for those that can't be installed with pip for whatever reason).
2. Manage environments, with virtualenv.exe, from a GUI. (Create, remove, list, activate, etc...)
Research
So far I have been able to do bits and pieces of my wish list using different scripts / methods, but have yet to find a way to combine them. I was planning to combine most of these into a GUI my self, but thought it would be wise to find out if there is a good reason this doesn't exist already.
Installing binaries to a virtual environment can be done fairly easy using a script that changes what version of python is registered in Windows. I have been using the script for several months now with nothing but great results. See SO Question
Managing the environments appears to the more difficult portion.
If using bash, there is virutalenvwrapper written by Doug Hellmann. I use this when working in Mac OSX and hightly recommend it.
There is a port of this exertion into Power Shell found here but still will require a third party command prompt interface to be installed.
One of the more unique ports to windows that I have seen ports virtualenvwrapper to bat files. I have not tested this, but it would still require a the use of the command prompt. Found here
The most promising helper function I have found to date is written by Justin Driscoll. While this exact example would require the command prompt, it would be trivial to convert this to something that a python GUI could call. This was the path I was going down before I thought I should check with the masses on the best way to achieve my goal.
You might want to take a look at zc.buildout. Assuming the user has Python installed, you can double click on the bootstrap.py python script to generate the environment.
Once created, doubleclicking on bin\buildout.exe will recursively install dependencies and run any pre/post hook methods you define. zc.buildout allows you to specify platform specific dependencies and non-python dependencies. Additionally, you may define your own scripts for buildout to place into the bin\ folder. For example, the Plone team has a good article running Buildout on Windows referencing their own script bin\instance.exe
While not quite a polished as virtualenv on Mac/Linux/BSD, the same buildout environment will be created (eg. bin/buildout instead of bin\buildout.exe) achieving the cross-platform requirements you have.
So, id like to start serious python development, and its proven to be a big pain. Im not worried at all about the language itself; I like it well enough and I will have no problems picking it up. But the ecosystem is driving me crazy.
First I tried to get up and running under windows. I gave up on that after a few days, as 90% of packages dont include windows support / install instructions. So I switched to macosx, which people said was good for mac development.
More frustration ensues. Id like to use python as a matlab replacement and tool development platform, so spyderlib seems like an excellent tool. But now ive been busy trying to build pyqt on my mac for two days, to no avail, and im starting to question the wisdom of it all. Obviously, following several guides literally invariantly ends in cryptic errors. For which platform was this dependency built? What arcane compiler flags need to be set? I dont know and I dont care; why doesnt the installer figure it out? Oh wait, there isnt any... I want to USE these tools, not first completely reverse engineer them to find out how to build them.
There is a vast amount of implied knowledge in all the documentation I can find on these matters, both with regard to unix and pythonic quirks. Is there any way to scale this mountain, in a place with a managable learning curve? Right now I have no idea what im doing. Or should I go back to windows and try to coerce the unix packages I need into cooperation?
On Mac OS X, you can get spyder with macports. This should build everything needed.
If you prefer Windows, take a look at Python(x,y). It has a bunch of scientific tools pre-built, including spyder.
Finally, the Enthought Python distribution is worth considering for scientific work.
Have you tried ActivePython?
Why battle with compiling the modules yourself when you can get the pre-built packages from PyPM?
pypm install pyqt4 matplotlib scipy numpy
From my experience the best platform for kind of project you're describing is Linux. There you just install the libs you need from package manager and that's it. Binary packages, so compiling is not required.
If you want to stick with MacOS X, you should install either MacPorts or Fink. It's usually easy to use. Problem is, that things like Qt take forever to compile. But you won't be doing that very often.
As for installing Python modules, the best is PIP, which is very nice replacement for easy_install did does much more. Especially useful if you want virtualenv setup.
This is nearly the exact opposite of my experience with Python on Windows. Python itself installs with a binary installer, most add-on packages support easy_install, others provide binary installers of their own. The IDE I use is SciTE, which uses the old DOS install model - copy the files to a directory and run the SciTE.exe file. If you get a source distribution of a Python package, go to the directory containing setup.py and run python setup.py install. Maybe that's the implied knowledge you're talking about.
You can also find many unofficial Windows binaries at http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~gohlke/pythonlibs/.
I switched to Mac a few years ago and found that it took me quite a while of googling to properly install all the packages I needed for Python development. While I installed everything I made a list of the steps required to setup a functional system that may be appropriate for you as well. I usually use NetCDF4, HDF5, Numpy, Matplotlib, f2py, and Fortran in combination with Python. I published my list of 22 setup-steps for installing from source on my website. Installing from source is somewhat more time-consuming than using macports and fink, but enables you to have a working environment that is optimized for your system.
I have a lovely Macbook now, and I'm enjoying coding on the move. I'm also enjoying coding in Python. However, I'd like to distribute the end result to friends using Windows, as an executable.
I know that Py2Exe does this, but I don't know how portable Python is across operating systems. Can anyone offer any advice? I'm using PyGame too.
Many thanks
The Python scripts are reasonably portable, as long as the interpreter and relevant libraries are installed. Generated .exe and .app files are not.
Py2exe generates Windows executables, so they will only work on the Windows Platform. The FAQ at http://www.py2exe.org/index.cgi/FAQ has more information on how it all works. Essentially it provides what is needed to run on Win9x as well as more current platforms. NOTE: the FAQ mentions some potential gotchas with character encodings and the work arounds.
With python, it is common enough on Unix based systems, as several Linux distributions have their custom maintenance scripts written in the language. So the Python scripts will be just as portable as Ruby scripts, etc. As long as the target machine has the interpreter and you are not using external programs that are only on one type of platform, others will be able to use your work.
Personally I experienced huge difficult with all the Exe builder, py2exe , cx_freeze etc. Bugs and errors all the time , keep displaying an issue with atexit module.
I find just by including the python distro way more convinient. There is one more advantage beside ease of use.
Each time you build an EXE for a python app, what you essential do is include the core of the python installation but only with the modules your app is using. But even in that case your app may increase from a mere few Kbs that the a python module is to more than 15 mbs because of the inclusion of python installation.
Of course installing the whole python will take more space but each time you send your python apps they will be only few kbs long. Plus you want have to go to the hussle of bundling the exe each time you change even a coma to your python app. Or I think you do , I dont know if just replacing the py module can help you avoid this.
In any case installing python and pygame is as easy as installing any other application in windows. In linux via synaptic is also extremly easy.
MACOS is abit tricky though. MACOS already come with python pre installed, Snow leopard has 2.6.1 python installed. However if you app is using a python later than that and include the install of python with your app, you will have to instruct the user to set via "GET INFO -> open with" the python launcher app which is responsible for launcing python apps to use your version of python and not the onboard default 2.6.1 version, Its not difficult and it only takes a few seconds, even a clueless user can do this.
Python is extremely portable, python pygame apps cannot only run unchanged to the three major platform , Windows , MACOS ,Linux . They can even run on mobile and portable devices as well. If you need to build app that runs across platform , python is dead easy and highly recomended.
If you are planning to include Linux in your portability criteria, it's worth remembering that many distributions still package 2.6 (or even 2.5), and will probably be a version behind in the 3.x series as well (I'm assuming your using 2.x given the PyGame requirement though).
Versions of PyGame seem to vary quite heavily between distros as well.