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 timd@phm.gov.au Fax: ++61 2 217 0433 ------------------------------------------------