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Welcome to ActivePython! Python is an interpreted
dynamic
programming language
. ActivePython is
a binary distribution of that language: a no-hassle, ready to install package
to lets you get to the business of writing Python software.
Presumably you have now installed ActivePython. (If not, head over to the Install Notes to find out how.) So now what? This page will help you get started using ActivePython 2.7 quickly and effectively.
What is ActivePython?and this page describes the contents of the ActivePython distribution.
| Install Location | %SystemDrive%\Python27 (usually
C:\Python27) by default, but can be specified
at install time |
|---|---|
| Local Documentation | The ActivePython Documentationlink in the ActiveState ActivePython 2.7program group of the Start menu. |
The ActivePython installer on Windows will automatically add
python to your PATH environment variable (Win98/WinME users may
have to reboot for this change to take effect) so you should be able to run
python at the DOS shell to start the Python interactive shell. You
can also start the Python interactive shell from the ActivePython program group
under the Windows Start menu. You should see something like the following:
ActivePython 2.7.2.5 (ActiveState Software Inc.) based on Python 2.7.2 (#65, Mar 30 2005, 09:33:37 [MSC v.1310 32 bit (Intel)] on win32 Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information. >>>
You can use the Python shell to interactively run Python code. This can be
very useful development and debugging tool. Learn how to use Python's built-in
dir() and
help()
introspection functions to dive into Python objects. For example, try running
the following:
>>> import os.path >>> dir(os.path) list of members of os.path module... >>> help(os.path) MAN page-like description of the os.path module... >>> help(os.path.join) help on the join function...
Read the Python Tutorial for more information.
Tkinter is Python's binding to the cross-platform Tk GUI toolkit and is a default part of any ActivePython installation.
wxPython is another popular cross-platform GUI programming toolkit. It is available separately from http://www.wxpython.org/.
Python includes a large number of GUI programming toolkits and while Tkinter and wxPython are the primary two contenders on Windows, there are some other options. The included PyWin32 extensions provide some bindings to Windows UI routines (win32ui, win32uiole). As well there are the PyQT and PyGTK bindings to the QT and GTK GUI toolkits, respectively. They are both available separately. Both QT's and GTK's main roots are in the Linux/Unix platform, but they are available for Windows as well.
ActivePython on Windows includes the PyWin32 extensions. These extensions provide bindings to much of the Windows API, full Windows COM integration, and the Pythonwin IDE (a basic Python editing environment). Read more about the Windows API and COM integration in the PyWin32 documentation (only include in the ActivePython documentation on Windows).
| Install Location | /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7
with links created in /usr/local/bin |
|---|---|
| Local Documentation | Open the "Help Viewer" application
(/System/Library/CoreServices/Help Viewer.app). Select
"ActivePython 2.7 Help" from Help Viewer's "Library" menu.
More info... |
The ActivePython installer on Mac OS X installs symlinks for running
python, pythonw, and pydoc to
/usr/local/bin. If this directory is not already on your PATH you
can add it manually as follows. Note that the default setup on Mac OS X
10.4 (Tiger) does not put /usr/local/bin on
your PATH.
# Place the following in your ~/.bashrc file.
PATH=/usr/local/bin:$PATH; export PATH
Open the Terminal application
(/Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app) and type python.
(If you already had a terminal open you may need to start a new one to see the
PATH changes.) You should see something like the following:
ActivePython 2.7.2.5 (ActiveState Software Inc.) based on Python 2.7.2 (#1, Mar 30 2005, 09:33:37) [GCC 3.3 20030304 (Apple Computer, Inc. build 1666)] on darwin Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information. >>>
You can use the Python shell to interactively run Python code. This can be
very useful development and debugging tool. Learn how to use Python's built-in
dir() and
help()
introspection functions to dive into Python objects. For example, try running
the following:
>>> import os.path >>> dir(os.path) list of members of os.path module... >>> help(os.path) MAN page-like desciption of the os.path module... >>> help(os.path.join) help on the join function...
Read the Python Tutorial for more information.
pythonw
command (just a stub that calls the actual Python executable as required) is
provided for this purpose. If your Python code provides a GUI, launch it with
pythonw instead of python. (There is a hack,
but it is not recommended.)
Tkinter is Python's binding to the cross-platform Tk GUI toolkit. ActivePython includes Tkinter by default, but on Mac OS X you must also install ActiveTcl to use Tkinter.
wxPython is another popular cross-platform GUI programming toolkit. It is available separately from http://www.wxpython.org/.
The PyObjC project provides a bridge between Python and Apple's Objective-C system. Part of this system is the Cocao toolkit for Mac OS X GUI programming. See below for more information.
In addition to the Python Library Reference that most Python developers will want to be familiar with, Python developers on Mac OS X may also want to take a look at the Macintosh Module Reference. Please be aware, however, that some of this documentation is out-of-date (some of referring to Mac OS 9, a.k.a. Mac Classic). The most useful sections will be MacOS Toolbox Modules and possibly MacPython OSA Modules, which discusses current bindings to Apple's OSA (Open Scripting Architecture, of which AppleScript is an implementation) system.
The PyObjC project, as mentioned above, provides a bridge between Python and Apple's Objective-C system. In particular it provides the ability to write complete Mac OS X GUI applications in Python. PyObjC is, at the time of this writing, being very actively developed. You can either install the latest release version of PyObjC using PyPM or build it yourself as follows:
/Developer directory, you will first need
to install the Apple Developer Tools. These are often available on a separate
CD that shipped with your Mac hardware. Alternatively you can
download them from Apple's
developer site after registering for a (free) ADC membership.svn, with which to checkout
the latest PyObjC sources. You can find a Subversion installer
here.svn co http://svn.red-bean.com/pyobjc/trunk/pyobjc/ cd pyobjc /usr/local/bin/python setup.py install
py2app (available separately from
here) is an
extension to Python's standard distutils
system for building and distributing Python software. If would like to
distribute your Python software as full-fledged Mac OS X applications and/or
with Mac OS X Installer packages you should take a look at py2app.
| Install Location | /opt/ActivePython-2.7 by default, but can
be specified at install time |
|---|---|
| Local Documentation | Open
/opt/ActivePython-2.7/doc/python2.7/index.html
in your browser. |
The ActivePython installer on Linux, AIX and HP-UX installs to
/opt/ActivePython-2.7 by default, but an alternate
install directory (for example, somewhere in your home directory) can be
specified at install time. To be able to simply run python from
the shell you either need to add this install directory's bin dir
to your PATH:
# If you use the Bash shell place the following in # your~/.bashrcfile. PATH=/opt/ActivePython-2.7/bin:$PATH; export PATH # If you use thetcshshell place the following in # your~/.cshrcfile. setenv PATH /opt/ActivePython-2.7/bin:$PATH
or create symlinks from some directory alread on your PATH
(commonly /usr/local/bin) to python:
sudo ln -sf /opt/ActivePython-2.7/bin/python2.7 /usr/local/bin/python2.7 sudo ln -sf /usr/local/bin/python2.7 /usr/local/bin/python
Type python in the shell. (If you modified your shell startup
script, you may need to start a new shell to see the PATH changes.) You should
see something like the following:
ActivePython 2.7.2.5 (ActiveState Software Inc.) based on Python 2.7.2 (#1, Mar 30 2005, 09:33:37) [GCC 3.3.1 (SuSE Linux)] on linux2 Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information. >>>
You can use the Python shell to interactively run Python code. This can be
very useful development and debugging tool. Learn how to use Python's built-in
dir() and
help()
introspection functions to dive into Python objects. For example, try running
the following:
>>> import os.path >>> dir(os.path) list of members of os.path module... >>> help(os.path) MAN page-like desciption of the os.path module... >>> help(os.path.join) help on the join function...
Read the Python Tutorial for more information.
Tkinter is Python's binding to the cross-platform Tk GUI toolkit and is a default part of any ActivePython installation on Linux, AIX and HP-UX.
wxPython is another popular cross-platform GUI programming toolkit. It is available separately from http://www.wxpython.org/.
As well there are the PyQT and PyGTK bindings to the QT and GTK GUI toolkits, respectively. They are both available separately.
| Install Location | /opt/ASpy27 by default, but can
be specified at install time |
|---|---|
| Local Documentation | Open
/opt/ASpy27/doc/python2.7/index.html
in your browser. |
The ActivePython installer on Solaris installs to
/opt/ASpy27 by default, but an alternate
install directory (for example, somewhere in your home directory) can be
specified at install time. To be able to simply run python from
the shell you either need to add this install directory's bin dir
to your PATH:
# If you use the Bash shell place the following in # your~/.bashrcfile. PATH=/opt/ASpy27/bin:$PATH; export PATH # If you use thetcshshell place the following in # your~/.cshrcfile. setenv PATH /opt/ASpy27/bin:$PATH
or create symlinks from some directory alread on your PATH
(commonly /usr/local/bin) to python:
sudo ln -sf /opt/ASpy27/bin/python2.7 /usr/local/bin/python2.7 sudo ln -sf /usr/local/bin/python2.7 /usr/local/bin/python
Type python in the shell. (If you modified your shell startup
script, you may need to start a new shell to see the PATH changes.) You should
see something like the following:
ActivePython 2.7.2.5 (ActiveState Software Inc.) based on Python 2.7.2 (#2, Mar 30 2005, 09:33:37) [C] on sunos5 Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information. >>>
You can use the Python shell to interactively run Python code. This can be
very useful development and debugging tool. Learn how to use Python's built-in
dir() and
help()
introspection functions to dive into Python objects. For example, try running
the following:
>>> import os.path >>> dir(os.path) list of members of os.path module... >>> help(os.path) MAN page-like desciption of the os.path module... >>> help(os.path.join) help on the join function...
Read the Python Tutorial for more information.