virtualenv: help me decide

[Cameron Simpson]

On 15Jan2016 03:37, Paulo da Silva <p_s_d_a_s_i_l_v_a_ns at netcabo.pt> wrote:
>I am about to install tensorflow and I am considering to use virtualenv.
>Unfortunately I don't know anything about this.

It makes a directory tree with its own libraries and "python" and "pip" 
executables.  When you run the "python" executable it invokes the "real" python 
(that used to make the virtualenv) with the right settings to use the 
virtualenv's library etc. Likewise the "pip" will automatically install into 
the virtualenv.  Great to experiments, isolation or simply "python like this" 
setups.

>So, a couple of questions before I dig more ...
>1. Are all already installed python stuff visible inside virtualenv?

If you build the virtualenv with --system-site-packages, yes. Otherwise it is 
standalone. I like --system-site-packages myself - if I use the OS vendor's 
package management to obtain somethings then they're available for free in the 
virtualenv. So my make a virtualenv incanation runs:

  mkdir the-virtualenv-dir
  virtualenv -p /path/to/chosen/python --system-site-packages the-virtualenv-dir

>2. I used to use eclipse for development. Is it usable within virtualenv?

I imagine so. I'm not an eclipse user, but I've never seen a complaint on the 
list about this. Virtualenv is so easy to use that i suggest you just try it 
and see.

Cheers,
Cameron Simpson <cs at zip.com.au>