[Python-Dev] Python environment registration in the Windows Registry

[Alexander Walters]

On 2/3/2016 11:17, Steve Dower wrote:
>> I know for PTVS manually adding a python environment to visual studio is
>> trivial - you fill in three locations, and its done.  Just today I added
>> a python environment to my system that was not autodetected.  It took
>> under a minute and almost no effort to add it... so for that tool this
>> adds very little benefit.  I do not know about other tools.
>
> I'm also a PTVS maintainer, so I know how much magic is going on 
> behind those three locations :) But I don't think people should need 
> to do that by hand at all.
>
> For example, the path to an Anaconda installation is buried deep 
> inside AppData (as is Python 3.5+ now), and varies based on your 
> username. Canopy does the same, and once you've found it there are (or 
> were?) at least three copies of python.exe to choose from (we worked 
> with Enthought to make this Just Work for PTVS users).
Uh.... its C:\Anaconda[2]\ for anyone running the installer with the 
privileges to edit the registry... (It wont ask to elevate unless you 
install for all users, and that's where all users will install).  So on 
that point alone, this saves nothing substantive really.  (I will go off 
on python35 installing in insane locations some other time.)