This directory contains a complete linux binary distribution of the
the python programming language v1.3. It was compiled on a slackware
3.0 system running kernel v2.0, but should run happily on most Linux
machines.
Three executables are provided, in order to be as suitable for as many
installations as possible...
EXECUTABLES
-----------
(1) A Dynamically linked elf executable (python-elf)
For this you need an elf system with the following shared libraries present:-
libm.so.5 => /lib/libm.so.5
libX11.so.6 => /usr/X11R6/lib/libX11.so.6.0
libdl.so.1 => /lib/libdl.so.1
libc.so.5 => /lib/libc.so.5
(2) A Statically linked elf executable (python-elf-static)
This should work on any elf system.
(3) A Dynamically linked a.out executable (python-aout)
For this you need an a.out linux system with the following shared
libraries:-
libm.so.4 (DLL Jump 4.6pl28) => /lib/libm.so.4
libX11.so.6 (DLL Jump 6.0) => /usr/i486-linuxaout/lib/libX11.so.6.0
libc.so.4 (DLL Jump 4.7pl2) => /lib/libc.so.4
Due to problems with my development platform, I wasn't able to make a
statically linked a.out executable.
You can test any of these executables without installation. (In fact,
you cannot install until you have a working executable). Just run it
from the shell. If you get the python interactive startup message
Python 1.3 (Jun 24 1996) [GCC 2.7.2]
Copyright 1991-1995 Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam
>>>
then that executable should be fine for you. If you have a choice, use
python-elf preferably, then either python-elf-static or python-aout.
If you are in the unfortunate position where none of these executables
work for you, then you are going to have to build you own binaries
from the source. It's easy though, it compiles cleanly on any linux
system I have ever tried. You will also need to do this if you want to
add other C coded modules, or embed the python interpreter in a
program of your own.
INSTALLATION
------------
In addition to a working executable you also need the python, tcl and
tk libraries to be in suitable places. Python has been compiled to
find these in /usr/local/lib/python, /usr/local/lib/tcl7.4 and
/usr/local/lib/tk4.0. You can install an executable (as
/usr/local/bin/python) and the library files into the right places
with either
make install-elf
or
make install-elf-static
or
make install-aout
Conventional linux setups will require you to do this logged in as
root. This may take a while, as all of the python modules in the
library are pre-compiled to bytecode (.pyc) files. Now you should be
ready to roll. Try
python demos/tkinter/guido/hanoi.py
to give it a try (but only if you are running X!),
If you are unable to install as above (or don't want to) you can
set environment variables to use the libraries in place (where they
are now). Under bash, in this directory do the following
HERE=`pwd`
PYTHONPATH=.:$HERE/lib-python/linux1:$HERE/lib-python:$HERE/lib-python/tkinter
TCL_LIBRARY=$HERE/lib-tcl
TK_LIBRARY=$HERE/lib-tk
export PYTHONPATH TCL_LIBRARY TK_LIBRARY
Then,
./python-elf demos/tkinter/guido/hanoi.py
should have the same effect as above. (or whatever other
executable works for you).
COMPILATION DETAILS
-------------------
The executables provided have been built with all of the standard
python built-in modules, in addition to
tkinter - statically linked to tk4.0 tcl7.4
gdbm - statically linked to libgdbm 1.7.3
CONCLUSION
----------
Good luck, I hope you enjoy using python on linux! Please direct any
python-related problems to the python mailing list or the newgroup
comp.lang.python. These is much more information on python at
http://www.python.org
I'm not in a position to offer any real support for these executables
- if they don't work for you, you are probably going to have to build
from the source.
------------------------------------------------
Tim Docker
Powerhouse Museum
Sydney, Australia
Phone: ++61 2 217 0232
[email protected] Fax: ++61 2 217 0433
------------------------------------------------
