Programming Python, Second Edition

Using the Examples and Demos

I want to briefly describe how to use the book’s examples here. In general, though, please see the following text files in the examples distribution directory for more details:

• README-root.txt: package structure notes

• PP2E\README-PP2E.txt: general usage notes

• PP2E\Config\setup-pp.bat: Windows configuration

• PP2E\Config\setup-pp.csh: Unix and Linux configuration

Of these, the README-PP2E.txt file is the most informative, and the PP2E\Config directory contains all configuration file examples. I give an overview here, but the files listed give a complete description.

The Short Story

If you want to see some Python examples right away, do this:

1. Install Python from the book’s CD-ROM (see http://examples.oreilly.com/python2), unless it is already installed on your computer. On Windows, click on the name of the self-installer program on the CD and do a default install (say “yes” or “next” to every prompt). On other systems, see the README file (the gzipped source distribution on the CD can be used to build Python locally).

2. Start one of the following self-configuring scripts located in the top-level Examples\PP2E directory on the CD (see http://examples.oreilly.com/python2). Either click on their icons in your file explorer, or run them from your system prompt (e.g., DOS console box, Linux Xterm) using command lines of the form python script-name (you may need to use the full path to python if it’s not on your system):

   • Launch_PyDemos.pyw: the main Python/Tk demo ...