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diff --git a/Mac/ReadMe b/Mac/ReadMe new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b253f53 --- /dev/null +++ b/Mac/ReadMe @@ -0,0 +1,149 @@ +How to install Python 1.5a3 on your Macintosh +------------------------------------------- + +If this is your first encounter with Python: you definitely need the +common user documentation (common to all platforms). You can find this +(in various forms) on www.python.org and ftp.python.org. Through +there, or via http://www.cwi.nl/~jack/macpython.html you can also find +the most recent MacPython distribution. + +Mac-specific documentation is included in this distribution in folder +Mac:Demo. The documentation is sparse, but it will have to serve for +now. The documentation is in HTML format, start with index.html. + +What to install +--------------- + +There are three flavors of Python: PowerPC, cfm68k and Classic 68k (the +FAT flavor is just a combination of the first two, which is handy if you +want to install Python on a fileserver or so). 68K-mac owners should +definitely use the cfm68k version if possible, since it enables the use +of applets and dynamically loaded modules and usually has a smaller +memory footprint. It does however need the CFM68K Runtime Enabler which +is available from Apple (available for free from +<http://support.info.apple.com/ftp/swhome.html>, included since MacOS +7.6.1). If your machine is pre-68020 you cannot use cfm68k and you can +install the classic 68k Python. + +If you have a pre-system 7 macintosh: sorry, this release will not work +on your system. Too many sys7 features are used to make a sys6 python +easy to create. + +If you don't have enough memory: the sizes choosen are somewhat +arbitrary. Try lowering the application sizes in the finder "get info" +window, and seeing whether the resulting python is still usable. Some +modules (Tkinter comes to mind) need a lot of memory, so it may also be +necessary to increase the application size. + +A final note to CFM68K (and possibly PPC) users: the Code Fragment +Manager can (incorrectly) produce "library not found" and other strange +error messages when it really means that there is not enough room in the +system heap. Decreasing (yes, *de*creasing) the size of the interpreter +and/or enabling virtual memory may solve these problems. + +After installing +---------------- + +It is probably a good idea to run "autotest.py" from :Lib:test at this +point, this should not give any errors. It will, however, print some +messages about optional features not supported. Running testall.py is +done by double-clicking it or dropping it onto the interpreter. + +NOTE: as of 1.5a3 the tests test_time, test_strftime and test_rotor will +fail. This is due to a problem with the tests. test_socket may also fail +if you have no internet connection. + +Next, try "compileall.py" from :Lib to create all .pyc files (but this +isn't really important). + +PPC and CFM68K users have a couple of applets in the main folder they +may want to try, (68K users can use the corresponding scripts from the +"scripts" folder): + +- EditPythonPrefs allows you to edit the preferences file, to change the +python home folder or modify the initial sys.path setting. The default +settings are somewhat arbitrary, you can remove tkinter if you don't use +it and possibly add Extensions:img:Lib. - mkapplet creates a python +applet, a tiny application written in python. Drop a python source on it +and out comes the application. More information can be found in the +"Mac:Demo" folder. + +PPC and CFM68K users will see one more file in the python folder: +PythonApplet. This is the template for building applets, leave it alone. +The applet is "fat", containing both PPC and CFM68K code. Hence, applets +built with it can be transported to machines with the other +architecture. + +Things to see +------------- + +There are some readme files in the "Read me files" folder that may +contain useful information. There is also a first stab at documentation +(plus examples) in the Mac:Demo folder. The toplevel Demo folder has +machine-independent demos. See the file Readme-mac for mac-specific +notes. The Mac:Lib:test folder also has some programs that show simple +capabilities of various modules. + +The "scripts" folder has some sample scripts. Some are useful, some are +just interesting to look at to see how various things work. The MkDistr, +mkapplet and fullbuild scripts (plus the ones mentioned above) may help +you to understand how to use AppleEvents and various other toolboxes +from python. + +The 'img' group of modules, which handles I/O of many different image +formats (not pict yet, sigh:-) is included, but without documentation. +You can find docs at ftp://ftp.cwi.nl/pub/jack/python/img (or somewhere +around there). + +Upgrading from older Python releases +------------------------------------ + +Since release 1.4 Python releases are independent of each other, with +separate Preferences files, shared library names, etc. The good news is +that this means you can keep your older version around if you are unsure +whether to upgrade. The bad news is that your old preference settings +are lost and you have to set them again. + +After you are satisfied that 1.5a3 works as expected you can trash +anything in the system folder that has "python" in the name and not +"1.5a3". + +The installer +------------- + +The installer for this product was created using Installer VISE Lite +from MindVision Software. For more information on Installer VISE Lite, + +contact: +MindVision Software +7201 North 7th Street +Lincoln, NE 68521-8913 +Voice: 402-477-3269 +Fax: 402-477-1395 +Internet: mindvision@mindvision.com +http://www.mindvision.com + + +Feedback +-------- + +Send bug reports, suggestions, contributions and fanmail to +<jack@cwi.nl>. Be warned however that I'm pretty busy, so I may not +always respond immedeately. + +A better way to discuss MacPython is to join the +<pythonmac-sig@python.org> mailing list, which is explicitly meant for +this purpose. + +Alternatively, you can try sending to comp.lang.python or +python-list@cwi.nl, but since I read the newsgroup, not the mailinglist, +I may miss it there (but other people may know quite a bit more than me +anyway:-). + +Jack Jansen +Centrum voor Wiskunde en Informatica +Kruislaan 413 +1098 SJ Amsterdam +the Netherlands + +<jack@cwi.nl>, http://www.cwi.nl/~jack |