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ActivePython FAQ

This document contains frequently asked questions (and answers) regarding ActivePython. Please send suggestions for new FAQ entries to activepython-feedback.

Table of Contents

• Mac OS X
  • Does ActivePython collide with other Python distributions on Mac OS X?
  • How do I open the ActivePython help on Mac OS X?
• Extensions
  • ActivePython 2.4 and earlier does not include SSL support. Why is this, and how can I add it?

Mac OS X

Does ActivePython collide with other Python distributions on Mac OS X?

There are many Python distributions for Mac OS X: Apple's system Python installation, MacPython, Python from the Fink and Darwin ports projects and ActivePython. In general, ActivePython can co-exist with these other Python installations. However, there are some things of which to be aware.

1. Only one python can be first on your PATH environment variable at the same time. This determines what Python is run when you type python at the terminal. Likewise for pythonw. ActivePython on Mac OS X sets up symlinks for python, pythonw, and versioned ones (e.g. python2.4 and pythonw2.4) in /usr/local/bin. You can ensure that ActivePython is first on your PATH in the terminal by including the following in your ~/.bashrc file (if you use Bash as your shell, the default on Mac OS X 10.3 and later):

   PATH=/usr/local/bin:$PATH; export PATH

   or the following in your ~/csh.cshrc (if you use the tcsh shell):

   setenv PATH /usr/local/bin:$PATH

   Note that this will only effect your PATH in the shell. To change your system path (e.g. if you need you environment changes to exist for GUI apps) you must modify your ~/.MacOSX/environment.plist file. See the Apple's Technical Q&A QA1067 document for details.
2. Both ActivePython and MacPython install to the same location on disk (/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/... with some links in /usr/local/bin), therefore ActivePython and MacPython installations of the same versions can collide. The ActivePython installer will properly install over a MacPython installation of the same version. However it is recommended that you first uninstall MacPython 3.1 before installing ActivePython 3.1.

How do I open the ActivePython help on Mac OS X?

On Mac OS X, ActivePython registers its documentation set with the Apple Help System. You can open the ActivePython help in "Help Viewer" as follows:

• Open "Help Viewer" with any of the following methods:
  • Click "Help | Application Help" in any GUI app; or
  • browse for and double-click on /System/Library/CoreServices/Help Viewer.app in Finder; or
  • run the following at the terminal: open -a "Help Viewer"
• Select "ActivePython 3.1 Help" from Help Viewer's "Library" menu.

ActivePython's help documentation is physically located in

/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.1/Resources/Python.app/Resources/English.lproj/Help

with a shorter symlink to that directory at

/Library/Documentation/Help/ActivePython-3.1

If "ActivePython 3.1 Help" does not appear in the Help Viewer's "Library" menu, this means that the ActivePython help book has not been registered. You may need to log out and log back in. You can always view the ActivePython documentation in your browser (instead of in Help Viewer) by browsing to index.html in the mentioned folders or by running a command like the following:

open /Library/Documentation/Help/ActivePython-3.1/index.html

Extensions

ActivePython 2.4 and earlier does not include SSL support. Why is this, and how can I add it?

Note: As of ActivePython 2.5 full SSL support is included.

Here is an answer on python-list while discussing the differences between ActivePython and python.org's Python:

http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-list/2005-December/315754.html

...
- As Neil pointed out, ActivePython does not currently have SSL
  bindings (the _ssl module) that python.org's Python builds do. We
  are currently going through the legal hurdles so that we can
  include those.  I expect that by or before the Python 2.5
  timeframe we'll have _ssl in ActivePython.
...

In the interim just plopping in the _ssl.pyd|so from either python.org's build or from your own build into ActivePython's lib-dynload directory will work to get ActivePython talking SSL.