[Python-Dev] [PEPs] Support the /usr/bin/python2 symlink upstream

[Mark Hammond]

On 6/03/2011 11:51 PM, Dj Gilcrease wrote:
 > Why not modify the windows installers to install into C:\Python\X.Y
 > and have the .bat files generated in C:\Python which is what I have
 > been doing manually since py25. I just add C:\Python to the system
 > Path then create/modify the bat files for new versions of python I
 > install.

That sounds like a reasonable scheme people may choose to use - however, 
it doesn't really address the basic issue - something still needs to add 
c:\Python to PATH, and the scheme itself doesn't really necessitate the 
common parent directory - ie, it is fundamentally the same (if less 
"clean") as the existing "c:\pythonx" with a (eg) "c:\python-cmd" or 
"c:\python-scripts" directory with the .bat files - especially given the 
various installations can be located via the registry.

...

 > Something I have been thinking about recently though is outside the
 > scope of the pep is writing a python.exe, to replace the python.bat,
 > that would  try to read the shebang line of the file to send it to the
 > right version of python. Then I just associate py files with the
 > dispatcher exe and everything should work as intended.

But where would such a python.exe live and how would that directory end 
up on the PATH?

On the more general idea though, it could have legs as it would solve 
the file association issue for files which include the shebang and 
arrange for the status-quo (or better) for files which don't...

But this sounds like a different PEP ;)

Cheers,

Mark.