143 lines
6.7 KiB
Plaintext
143 lines
6.7 KiB
Plaintext
How to install Python 1.4 on your Macintosh
|
|
------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Even if you don't usually read readme files: please read at least the
|
|
first sections of this file, failure to do so will probably result in
|
|
an unuseable python system. If this warning is too late and you already
|
|
have an non-functional python: it is best to remove all traces and start
|
|
with a fresh distribution. Especially don't forget to remove the
|
|
"python 1.4 preferences" file from the Preferences folder, and possibly
|
|
"PythonCorePPC 1.4" and/or "PythonCoreCFM68K 1.4"
|
|
from the Extensions folder. Before you mail me for help *please*
|
|
try the steps above (cleaning up and re-installing): it should fix most
|
|
common mistakes. If you are installing a CFM68K python also check that
|
|
your installation of CFM68K was done correctly.
|
|
|
|
If this is your first encounter with Python: you definitely need the common
|
|
user documentation (common to all platforms). You can find this (in various
|
|
forms) on www.python.org and ftp.python.org.
|
|
|
|
Mac-specific documentation is included in this distribution in folder Mac:Demo.
|
|
The documentation is sparse, but it will have to serve for now. The documentation
|
|
is in HTML format, start with index.html.
|
|
|
|
If you have a pre-system 7 macintosh: sorry, this release will not work
|
|
on your system. Too many sys7 features are used to make a sys6 python
|
|
easy to create. If you really want one: tell me, maybe I can be convinced.
|
|
Alternatively: get the sources, put in the necessary gestalt() and
|
|
compatability calls yourself and send me the results.
|
|
|
|
If you don't have enough memory: the sizes choosen are somewhat arbitrary.
|
|
Try lowering them and seeing whether the resulting python is still usable.
|
|
Note, however, that python running out of memory may result in your mac
|
|
freezing. If this happens I would like to hear of it.
|
|
|
|
Note that if you're using Tk you might want to raise the memory size, tcl
|
|
and tk are quite a memory hog.
|
|
|
|
A final note to CFM68K (and possibly PPC) users: the Code Fragment Manager
|
|
can (incorrectly) produce "library not found" and other strange error messages
|
|
when it really means that there is not enough room in the system heap. Decreasing
|
|
(yes, *de*creasing) the size of the interpreter and/or enabling virtual memory
|
|
may solve these problems.
|
|
|
|
PowerPC and CFM68K Macintosh instructions
|
|
-----------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
For CFM68K you need a Mac with a 68020, 68030 or 68040, and at least System 7.1.1.
|
|
CFM68K Python will not run on PowerPC Macs. Before installing Python you
|
|
should install CFM68K. Put everything from the "CFM68K for System Folder" into the
|
|
Extensions folder and restart.
|
|
|
|
Run the MkPluginAliases applet. This will create an initial preferences file.
|
|
Next, it will create a number of aliases in the PlugIns folder. Finally
|
|
it will put an alias to your PythonCore in the Extensions folder. The whole
|
|
process should be independent of any previous releases of Python on your disk
|
|
(and these releases should still continue working).
|
|
|
|
For all these things to work correctly it is vital that you don't move anything
|
|
around before running MkPluginAliases. After you have set things up you may
|
|
move things around to your hearts' desire.
|
|
|
|
Classic 68K Macintosh instructions
|
|
----------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Run Python68K. This will create an initial preferences file. Quit python.
|
|
|
|
Common instructions
|
|
-------------------
|
|
|
|
You should now have a functioning python. It is probably a good idea to run
|
|
"testall.py" from :Lib:test at this point, this should not give any errors.
|
|
Running testall.py is done by double-clicking it or dropping it onto the
|
|
interpreter.
|
|
Next, try "compileall.py" from :Lib to create all .pyc files (but this isn't
|
|
really important).
|
|
|
|
PPC and CFM68K users have a couple of applets in the main folder they may want to try,
|
|
(68K users can use the corresponding scripts from the "scripts" folder):
|
|
|
|
- EditPythonPrefs allows you to edit the preferences file, to change the
|
|
python home folder or modify the initial sys.path setting.
|
|
The default settings are somewhat arbitrary, you can remove tkinter if
|
|
you don't use it and possibly add Extensions:img:Lib.
|
|
- mkapplet creates a python applet, a tiny application written
|
|
in python. Drop a python source on it and out comes the application. More
|
|
information can be found in the "Mac:Demo" folder.
|
|
|
|
PPC and CFM68K users will see one more files in the python folder: PythonApplet. This is
|
|
the template for building applets, leave it alone. For the 1.4b3 release the applet is
|
|
specific for your installation, i.e. PPC applets will not run on CFM68K machines and vice
|
|
versa. I hope to fix this soon.
|
|
|
|
Things to see
|
|
-------------
|
|
|
|
There are some readme files in the "Read me files" folder that may contain
|
|
useful information. There is also a first stab at documentation (plus examples)
|
|
in the Mac:Demo folder. The toplevel Demo folder has machine-independent demos.
|
|
See the file Readme-mac for mac-specific notes. The Mac:Lib:test folder also
|
|
has some programs that show simple capabilities of various modules.
|
|
|
|
The "scripts" folder has some sample scripts. Some are useful, some are just
|
|
interesting to look at to see how various things work. The MkDistr, mkapplet
|
|
and fullbuild scripts (plus the ones mentioned above) may help you to understand
|
|
how to use AppleEvents and various other toolboxes from python.
|
|
|
|
The 'img' group of modules, which handles I/O of many different image formats
|
|
(not pict yet, sigh:-) is included, but without documentation. You can find
|
|
docs at ftp://ftp.cwi.nl/pub/jack/python/img (or somewhere around there).
|
|
|
|
Upgrading from older Python releases
|
|
------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Since release 1.4 Python releases are independent of each other, with separate
|
|
Preferences files, shared library names, etc. The good news is that this means you
|
|
can keep your older version around if you are unsure whether to upgrade. The bad
|
|
news is that your old preference settings are lost and you have to set them again.
|
|
|
|
After you are satisfied that 1.4 works as expected you can trash anything in the
|
|
system folder that has "python" in the name and not "1.4".
|
|
|
|
Feedback
|
|
--------
|
|
|
|
Send bug reports, suggestions, contributions and fanmail to <jack@cwi.nl>.
|
|
Be warned however that I'm pretty busy, so I may not always
|
|
respond immedeately.
|
|
|
|
A better way to discuss MacPython is to join the <pythonmac-sig@python.org>
|
|
mailing list, which is explicitly meant for this purpose.
|
|
|
|
Alternatively, you can try sending to comp.lang.python or python-list@cwi.nl,
|
|
but since I read the newsgroup, not the mailinglist, I may miss it there
|
|
(but other people may know quite a bit more than me anyway:-).
|
|
|
|
Jack Jansen
|
|
Centrum voor Wiskunde en Informatica
|
|
Kruislaan 413
|
|
1098 SJ Amsterdam
|
|
the Netherlands
|
|
|
|
<jack@cwi.nl>, http://www.cwi.nl/~jack
|