modified: content/2011-09-08-a-system-administrators-guide-to-installing-and-maintaining-multiple-python-environments.rst

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content/2011-09-08-a-system-administrators-guide-to-installing-and-maintaining-multiple-python-environments.rst

@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
 A system administrators guide to installing and maintaining multiple python environments
 ########################################################################################
+
 :date: 2011-09-08 19:28
 :author: Russell Ballestrini
 :tags: DevOps, Guide
 :slug: a-system-administrators-guide-to-installing-and-maintaining-multiple-python-environments
 :status: published
 
+.. contents::
+
 Some operating systems depend on a specific version of python to
 function properly. For example, Yum on Redhat Enterprise Linux 5 (RHEL5)
 depends on python 2.4.3. This version of python lacks support from many
@@ -13,11 +16,21 @@ utilities and 3rd party libraries. This guide will cover installing an
 alternative python instance while leaving the system's python alone.
 
 *This guide supports the following operating systems: Redhat, CentOS,
-and Fedora. As of this publication the latest Python version was 2.7.2;
+and Fedora. As of this publication the latest Python version was 2.7.8;
 You might want to determine if a newer version exists.*
 
-Compile
+Install Python 2.7
-=======
+==================
+
+I found two methods which work for installing Python 2.7 side-by-side with the system's Python.
+
+* compile from source
+* install package via the *scl* repo
+
+Choose which ever strategy you find easier.
+
+Compile from source
+-------------------
 
 #. Gather the dependencies::
 
@@ -30,9 +43,9 @@ Compile
 
 #. Download and untar the python sourcecode::
 
-    wget http://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.7.2/Python-2.7.2.tgz
+    wget http://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.7.8/Python-2.7.8.tgz
-    tar -xzvf Python-2.7.2.tgz
+    tar -xzvf Python-2.7.8.tgz
-    cd Python-2.7.2
+    cd Python-2.7.8
 
 
 #. Compile the sourcecode::
@@ -44,11 +57,34 @@ Compile
 
     python2.7 --version
 
+#. Document path to new python2.7, you will need it if you plan to use a virtualenv::
+
+    which python2.7
 
 #. Now we can install third party libraries into our alternative python::
 
     python2.7 -m easy_install
 
+Install package from scl
+------------------------
+
+#. install centos-release-scl repolists::
+
+ sudo yum install centos-release-scl
+
+#. install python27::
+
+ sudo yum install python27
+
+# enable python27 via scl::
+
+ scl enable python27 bash
+
+#. Document path to new python2.7, you will need it if you plan to use a virtualenv::
+
+ which python2.7
+
+
 virtualenv
 ==========
 
@@ -57,13 +93,18 @@ python 2.7 install. Virtual environments appear useful for testing
 packages and libraries without installing them to the system owned
 python site-packages directory.
 
-#. Install virtualenv using easy\_install::
+#. Install pip using easy\_install::
 
-    easy_install virtualenv
+    sudo easy_install pip
+
+#. Install virtualenv using pip::
+
+    sudo pip install virtualenv
 
 #. Create a new virtual python environment named virtpy::
 
-    virtualenv --no-site-packages -p /usr/local/bin/python2.7 virtpy
+    cd ~
+    virtualenv -p /usr/local/bin/python2.7 virtpy
 
    This will create a virtual python 2.7.2 environment named virtpy in your present working directory.
 

template_new_entry.rst

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 THESLUG
-=========================================================
+################################################################
 
 :author: Russell Ballestrini
 :slug: THESLUG