Problem
So sometimes, it might be good idea to keep several sandboxed python installations. Here are some examples where such a scenario may occur:
- My default python installation is 2.7
- I want to keep my EPD distribution clean
- The Ogre3D bindings are only available for Python2.6 at the moment
- What about using python3 alongside everything else?
A Solution
The idea here is to create a command prompt shortcut for every concurrent python installation.
First, you need a .bat file that will set various environment variables. Here is an example file, targetted at my EPD installation, which is installed in C:\Python26_EPD622:
Copy this, and change the PYTHON_ROOT variable to the root folder of the python installation you're configuring. Put the file anywhere you want to.
Next, we will create a shortcut to a windows command prompt that will automatically call that script, and setup your environmnent.
Locate the folder containing the original Command Prompt shortcut. On Windows Vista/7, it should be in: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories.
Copy it, and rename it, for example to Python26 (EPD 6.2) Command Prompt. Rigth click on it, select Properties. This should appear:
Change the target to: %comspec% /k ""c:\path\to\epd62.bat"" and click OK. Notice the two pairs of double quotes.
You can now move this shortcut wherever you see fit. You can keep it in the start menu, create a special start menu folder for all your python prompts, move it to the quicklaunch bar, and so on.
Once this is done, you can now:
- Launch a (i)python shell
- Install packages with
easy_installorpip - Launch any binary third party tool shipped with your python distribution
Repeat for every python installation.
Final note
This is not a mean to register several python distribution with your IDE. Any decent python IDE, such as Pydev for eclipse or PyCharm let you register several python interpreters.