How to install Python

WARNING: This page is obsolete.

Installation

This should be done carefully as the ATLAS software is sensitive to python versions. Note that python is also in the distributed Athena kits as well as installed by the operating system. The reason you may need a different version is that some software may require it..

Download python from this site.

For example, to download and install the last 2.4 version:

mkdir -p /atlas/ATLASLocalRootbase/i686/python-i686/src
cd  /atlas/ATLASLocalRootbase/i686/python-i686/src
curl -O http://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.4.4/Python-2.4.4.tar.bz2
gtar jxf Python-2.4.4.tar.bz2

There will be a directory Python-2.4.4 for this example.

./configure --help will list the options for configuration.

Do not install this in the default areas; the ATLAS software is very sensitive to python versions and this will only be used for special cases.

To configure and install, do

mkdir -p /atlas/ATLASLocalRootBase/i686/python-i686/2.4.4
cd /atlas/ATLASLocalRootBase/i686/python-i686/src/Python-2.4.4
./configure --prefix=/atlas/ATLASLocalRootBase/i686/python-i686/2.4.4 --enable-shared
make
make install

The binaries and libraries will be in /atlas/ATLASLocalRootBase/i686/python-i686/2.4.4/

ATLASLocalRootBase users

If you have installed ATLASLocalRootBase, you can let manageTier3SW maintain the software for you. Otherwise if you want a particular version installed, you can type for example,

$ATLAS_LOCAL_ROOT_BASE/utilities/installSW.sh --name=python-i686 --platform=i686 --version=2.5.2 --bz2File=http://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.5.2/Python-2.5.2.tar.bz2 --makeDefault

-- AsokaDeSilva - 10 Nov 2007