[Python-Dev] Documentation for ability to execute zipfiles & directories

[Paul Moore]

On 04/03/2008, Nick Coghlan <ncoghlan at gmail.com> wrote:
> Do we need a new appendix to the tutorial which goes into detail about
> the CPython interpreter's command line options, environment variables
> and details on what can be executed?

There is a Python man page, which covers the command line usage.
However, it's separate from the documentation, and it isn't bundled
with the Windows installers - both of which are a real pain (for me,
at least).

I'd suggest taking the man page, adding the information about
executing zip files and directories, and putting the whole lot into
the formal documentation.

The big problem is that there isn't really anywhere in the docs which
is formally CPython-specific. My preference would be to put it in the
language reference, as a new chapter (between the current chapters 1
and 2) called "Invoking the Python Interpreter".

You could also make the manpage a new document, called "Invoking
Python", but it's a bit small to warrant a ful document.

An appendix to the Tutorial is OK, I guess, but personally I never
think of looking at the tutorial (I've been using Python too long to
feel that I need a tutorial any more, although the quality of my code
probably says otherwise :-))

Paul.