[Python-Dev] Add python.exe to PATH environment variable

[Cesare Di Mauro]

On 03 sep 2008 at 00:50:13, M.-A. Lemburg <mal at egenix.com> wrote:

> There already is a menu entry that starts the Python interpreter
> on Windows, so why not use that ?

Because i need to start Python from folders which have
files that define a specific "environment".

I have several servers and applications that develop and test this way.

> Also .py files are automatically associated with the last installed
> Python interpreter, so the double-clicking on .py files works and is
> probably the most common way of starting a Python file on Windows.

99% of time I run Python from a command prompt (on specific
directories).

I use the default menu entry only when I have to play with Python to test some
pieces of code.

> Adding paths to the PATH variable is not easy on Windows, esp. if
> you want to support multiple Windows versions. The global PATH
> settings are not read from autoexec.bat anymore (only once at boot
> time). Instead those environment variables are managed via the
> registry.
>
> See e.g.
>
> http://agiletesting.blogspot.com/2005/06/handling-path-windows-registry-value.html
>
> for how to setup PATH to your liking using Python.
>
> The problem is: how to undo those changes without accidentally
> undoing an explicit change made by the user ?
>
> BTW: Adding the Python dir to the PATH per default would cause
> problems for users who regularly have multiple different
> Python installations on a machine. If this is done, it should
> be an install option and not forced.

Let the user to decide to update or not the PATH envar by marking a
chechbox in the setup process, displaying that doing that the
changes will NOT be reverted when uninstalling it.

Cheers,
Cesare