Python 2.1.1 install glitch (Windows binary)

[Tim Peters]

[Kirby Urner]
> I've just reinstalled 2.1.1. final and find that the
> file association string I'd manually fixed awhile ago
> was reset back to:
>
>    D:\Program Files\Python21\python.exe "%1" %*

There's A Reason the installer doesn't default to a path with embedded
spaces.  If you want to cure this, don't go out of your way to *create* the
problem.  Whether paths with embedded spaces "work" varies from context to
context, and not even MS's stuff always deals with them correctly (quoted or
not).

> This is under Folder Options, where you scroll down
> to the PY snake icon, click Advanced | Edit and see
> the boot string associated with PY files.
>
> What __should__ be the boot string is:
>
>    "D:\Program Files\Python21\python.exe" %1 %1

I can understand why you want quotes around the .exe name, but don't
understand why you took the quotes off of %1, or duplicated %1 (instead of
leaving %* in).

> This problem may be confined to those setups wherein
> Python is installed in a path which includes spaces in the
> pathname (as in "Program Files").

Yes.

> When the string is messed up, as shown initially, the
> files may still boot in Python, meaning this is a subtle
> problem.  But you won't be able to get cgi to work if
> you set up a web server, for example.  I run Savant
> to test cgi scripts, and without the manual fix (second
> string), it won't execute Python in cgi mode.

I'd say it's a Savant bug, then -- as you say, Python and Windows have no
problems with it.

Beginning with the 2.2a2 installer (released last Wednesday), I convert the
installation path to DOS 8.3 names instead.  Then there are never embedded
spaces, so nothing should get confused -- except for the poor *person*
reading it and seeing gibberish like D:\PROGRA~2\PYTHON21\PYTHON.EXE.

programs-win-people-lose-ly y'rs  - tim