[PYTHON MATRIX-SIG] Installing NumPy

[Konrad Hinsen]

> I used the instructions to build NumPy in the Python source tree. However,
> the instructions only mention setting an environment variable when you
> build it as a clean extension.
> 
> Is this case unusual or do the instructions need updating?

Yes. See my updated instructions for details ;-)

> Or more to the point; what should be in the PYTHONPATH environment variable
> and what is it used for?

Python looks for modules in all directories that are listed in sys.path.
This variable is initialized to the value of PYTHONPATH followed by
the list of directories precompiled into the interpreter. The idea
is that the latter should contain everything needed for the standard
installation, and PYTHONPATH the user-specific additions. But of
course the borderline is not entirely clear.

In fact, I use the "source tree" installation method mostly because I want
the NumPy path to be built-in, since otherwise users without PYTHONPATH
couldn't use it.
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Konrad Hinsen                          | E-Mail: hinsen@ibs.ibs.fr
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