Fwd: Re: Problems installing Python on server

[Steve Holden]

jim-on-linux wrote:
> 
> 
>>> Also be careful and setup all the paths
>>> that is required for compiling various
>>> Python modules etc.
>>>
>>> On Jan 29, 8:28 am, Yansky
>> <thegoodd... at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> I asked my hosting company if they
>>>> would upgrade Python on my server to
>>>> the latest version. They responded
>>>> with:
>>>>
>>>> "Sorry no. We tend to stick with what
>>>> comes packaged with the unix
>>>> distribution to ease maintenance
>>>> issues.
>>>>
>>>> There is nothing stopping you from
>>>> running your own version of python
>>>> from within your own account. Download
>>>> the source and compile it and install
>>>> it into your own space. Adjust the
>>>> fist line of your python scripts to
>>>> reflect the location of YOUR python
>>>> binary:
>>>>
>>>> #! /home/youraccount/yourlibs/python
>>>>
>>>> and you should be all set."
>> Go to the ReadME file after you unpack
>> python.
>> Open  and look for   "Installing".
>> Read the section, it explains how to
>> install on the entire system and how to
>> install locally.
>> "Make altinstall"  is what you are looking
>> for.
>>
>> jim-on-linux
>> http:\\www.inqvista.com
>>
>>>> The build instructions for Python are:
>>>> To start building right away (on
>>>> UNIX): type "./configure" in the
>>>> current directory and when it
>>>> finishes, type "make". This creates an
>>>> executable "./python"; to install in
>>>> usr/local, first do "su root" and then
>>>> "make install".
>>>>
>>>> The problem is, I don't have root
>>>> access to the server so I can't do the
>>>> "make install". I have ubuntu on my
>>>> computer, but from what I understand I
>>>> can't compile it on that and upload it
>>>> because the server runs Red Had and
>>>> the ./configure would have made it
>>>> incompatible right?
>>>>
>>>> So how can I build Python without root
>>>> access?
> 
> Will the "make install" make my Python the
>  default one? If I want to install some
>  Python modules, will I need to alter their
>  installation as well or will it see my
>  Python version as the right one to install
>  too?
> 
The "default one"? That's just the one that runs when a user enters the

     python

command, right? "make install" will install Python wherever you told the 
configure utility to build it for. "make altinstall" is a convenience 
method that (IIRC) builds for /usr/local/bin.

Generally speaking when you install an extension or other module, 
nowadays you use the command

     python setup.py install

The installation takes place in whichever copy of Python runs setup.py, 
so with a "default" /usr/bin/python and an "alternate" 
/usr/local/bin/python, to install a module in the alternate you would run

     /usr/local/bin/python setup.py install

The same is true of a Python you have installed somewhere under your 
home directory.

regards
  Steve
-- 
Steve Holden        +1 571 484 6266   +1 800 494 3119
Holden Web LLC              http://www.holdenweb.com/