Execute Python Script From Non-System Installed Python

Question

I currently have python 2.7.1 installed on my Mac and there are some features of 2.7.3 that I would like to use with my current Python development. I've downloaded the and extracted the tar ball into my /Users/mark/Python-2.7.3 but when I run my Python script how do I tell it to use the new 2.7.3 version instead of the system installed 2.7.1?

/Users/mark/Python-2.7.3
MacBook-Pro:Python-2.7.3 mark$ ls
Demo        Lib     Objects     README      install-sh
Doc         Mac     PC          RISCOS      pyconfig.h.in
Grammar     Makefile.pre.in PCbuild     Tools       setup.py
Include     Misc        Parser      configure
LICENSE     Modules     Python      configure.in

Modify the #! line to point to the new python.

Anirudh Ramanathan
– Anirudh Ramanathan

2012-11-17 19:27:02 +00:00
Commented Nov 17, 2012 at 19:27 — Anirudh Ramanathan
– Anirudh Ramanathan, Commented Nov 17, 2012 at 19:27

iabdalkader · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-17 20:23:20Z

1

you could either use the interpreter you want to run the script directly:

/Users/mark/Python-2.7.3/python2.7.3 script.py

or set the interpreter in the shebang line:

#!/Users/mark/Python-2.7.3/python2.7.3

third option, prepend the path to the interpreter to the PATH variable:

export PATH=/Users/mark/Python-2.7.3/:$PATH

edited Nov 17, 2012 at 20:23

answered Nov 17, 2012 at 19:27

iabdalkader

17.4k4 gold badges51 silver badges77 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

c12 Over a year ago

I tried adding #!/Users/mark/Python-2.7.3 to the top of my .py script but I don't think its using the new install. I didn't have a python2.7.3 in the Python-2.7.3 directory, any ideas? I added my ls output of the Python-2.7.3 dir.

iabdalkader Over a year ago

@c12 this looks like the source code, you'll need the binaries if you don't want to build it.

cleg · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-17 19:35:25Z

1

In such cases — virtualenv is highly recommended. Install virtualenv, and create new venv, using -p key, pointing to another python version.

virtualenv -p /Users/mark/Python-2.7.3/python2.7.3

Then simply run

source bin/activate

And in this shell session, all calls to python will be done to isolated version of python with given version.

Virtualenv is a little bit harder to laern and use, but I'd suggest to use it always for python development. Keeping all projects and their dependencies isolated — helps very much. And for easy use of virtualenv, there is an excellent virtualenwrapper.

answered Nov 17, 2012 at 19:35

cleg

5,0525 gold badges38 silver badges52 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Execute Python Script From Non-System Installed Python

2 Answers 2

2 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

2 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related