[Tutor] Windows, Python and me

[Roman Suzi]

Hello,

I am not sure if my question fits here, but I see lots
of such questions in c.l.p and probably this one could
gather expert answers, easily found later via google.

Keywords: Python Win32 Windows DOS prompt path setup start run install
          CRLF edit editor IDLE

For more than 4 years already I am working with Linux. But in order to do
packaging of Python related material I need to make it "right" in Windows.

And here I understand how difficult things in Windows are (compared to
Linux). Below I refer to Win98 SE.

1. After installing Python under Windows, I can't just type "python" in
DOS-prompt to run scripts. What is the easy way for the novice to set PATH
correctly? ("> start python" works fine).

2. Some tar.gz archives are using LF-line ends (and this is right thing
for UNIX or under IDLE). However, such scripts are not editable in NotePad
which is fabulous default Windows editor. What is the better choice:
to get/provide CR-LF-ed text files or (how?) make users decode text files
for themselves?

The deadlock is: NotePad can't be used due to LF-ed py-files and IDLE
internal editor can't be used because IDLE doesn't support non-latin-1
chars... I could suggest Emacs, but for beginners... They will be
pissed off not only for Emacs, but Python alltogether. This way or that
solution must be "freely distributable".

3. What is the preferred way to run setup.py script? (MS DOS prompt
doesn't work due to the problem no 1 above and if it works, how do I open
MS DOS prompt in the needed directory and not in the C:\WINDOWS> ? (using
cd or adding some bat or pif files to the directory with unzipped contents
is not an option: it makes feel like Python doesn't suit into Windows
environment well). Or do I need to get some freeware kind of Norton Editor
for such tasks? (What Windows "Explorer" is for, then?)

* * *

I think, these questions have impact on Python usability under Windows.
Probably, the best solution could be adding GUI to Distutils, so running
JUST setup.py without options will bring up a dialog with all available
options or at least a text-prompt for them (like this is done for Mac
which do not have command line).

The reason I posted this to Tutor is that probably I need to learn more
about Windows+Python to resolve problems stated above. And yes, I have
read Distutils docs. (please, tell if I need to reread them).

Thank you for answers!

Sincerely yours, Roman Suzi
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