118 lines
3.9 KiB
ReStructuredText
118 lines
3.9 KiB
ReStructuredText
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========
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Python
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========
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You will need Python in order to use any Rattail software on Windows.
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You can get it from: `<https://www.python.org/downloads/windows/>`_
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The notes below should help you decide which version to install etc.
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Which Version?
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--------------
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In general you are encouraged to use the "latest stable" version of
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Python unless you have a reason to be more conservative.
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As of this writing Python 3.10 is the "latest" but has not yet been
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tested in production, so it is suggested to use 3.9 instead, since
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that has been tested. That is the situation "today" (Oct 2021) and
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eventually should change.
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Any other Python-based packages you may need to install, must of
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course be compatible with the version of Python you have. This
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includes Rattail itself (see :doc:`rattail`) but also e.g. the pywin32
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library (see :doc:`pywin32`) and perhaps wxPython. You may want to
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gather your download links ahead of time to be sure they all are for
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the same Python version.
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Note that in general, e.g. if you only need the Rattail File Monitor,
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then you will not likely need to "upgrade" Python anytime soon. If
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you install 3.9 for instance then it should continue to work fine for
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the forseeable future.
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32 bit vs. 64 bit
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-----------------
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In some cases, your Rattail app(s) may need to load and invoke code
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from various compiled libraries. The most common scenario is that the
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app needs to read data from an ODBC connection which uses a binary
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driver.
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Sometimes these libraries are only available in a 32 bit version. If
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this is the case for you then you must install 32 bit Python, even on
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a 64 bit machine.
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Again you may want to gather all download links ahead of time to be
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sure everything matches, for both Python version and "bitness".
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.. note::
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The above statements "used to be true" but it's been a while since
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I had my head in that game, and much may have changed.
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In particular if you only need the Rattail File Monitor, and only
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need it to do standard tasks like moving files to a Linux server,
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then there should be no binary libraries involved and you will be
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fine to use 64bit Python.
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Installation
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------------
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Download the appropriate installer from
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`<https://www.python.org/downloads/windows/>`_
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Right-click the installer file and choose "Run as administrator" to
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launch it.
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If you are wanting to use the Rattail File Monitor then you should
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install Python "for all users" - this requires that you "customize"
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the installation. In other words don't just click "Install Now" but
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instead click "Customize" and then select the option to install for
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all users.
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You should also see an option to "Add Python to your PATH variable" -
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it is recommended that you choose this unless you have a reason not
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to.
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.. _python-sanity-check:
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Sanity Check
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------------
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Once the installation completes, you should open a *new* console
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(``cmd.exe``) and confirm that ``python.exe`` is usable:
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.. code-block:: none
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C:\>python --version
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Python 3.9.7
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If that doesn't work then it is probably due to one of 2 things:
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If your console window was already open during the install, please close
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it and re-open, then it should work.
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Or, if still no good, then you probably did not add Python to your
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PATH variable during the install. You can of course re-install, but
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you can also manually add it to PATH if you prefer.
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If you want to manually add Python to PATH then see e.g. `this
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article`_ for instructions. You will need to add 2 folders to the
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variable, paths of which may vary per your install. If you installed
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"for all users" as described above then the folders are probably
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something like:
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* ``C:\Program Files\Python39``
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* ``C:\Program Files\Python39\Scripts``
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.. _this article: http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000549.htm
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If PATH looks good and you re-opened your console, and things still do
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not work, then please file a bug report at
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https://redmine.rattailproject.org/
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