From: Tim Peters [mailto:tim.one@comcast.net] > [Moore, Paul] > > I just installed Python 2.2.2b1 (replacing ActiveState Python) > > and I notice that the installer uses the shortname form of the > > Python install directory. This appears in sys.path, in file > > associations (and hence in sys.argv[0]), and in lots of other > > places in the registry, not all of which I follow the reasons for. > > > > My Python install directory was C:\Applications\Python - not the > > default, but also not containing spaces (which I guess could be a > > problem for some scripts). So the short form should not be > > necessary. I've fixed the problem manually by hacking the > > registry, but it's not something I feel comfortable with... >=20 > I must have missed what "the problem" is. What is the problem? Path > components generally have two distinct names on Windows. That's how > the OS works -- we didn't invent this madness <wink>. "problem" is probably a bit strong. It is user-visible in a few places = (notably sys.path) and is arguably difficult to read in those places. = But it's an issue of aesthetics rather than anything else. OK, so if I have a sense of aesthetics, I probably shouldn't be using = Windows :-) Agreed, it's mainly an OS issue. If Windows didn't do the long/short = pathname idiocy, and if the practice of using pathnames with spaces had = never been promoted, we wouldn't be having this discussion. (Or if Unix = people had got into the habit of actually using the freedom thay have to = use pathnames containing all sorts of strange characters, we may be even = worse off :-)) >=20 > > Would it be possible for the installer to use the long filename > > form >=20 > Yes, but I won't make that change, because we *used* to do it that way = and > it confused newbies endlessly, mostly because of embedded spaces. By > default, the installer suggests an 8.3 name so that nobody can get = confused. > Pick a non-8.3 name instead, and two distinct names are a fact of = Windows > Life you have to live with. OK. If the other way has been shown to cause real problems, then that's = a reason not to do that. Having used ActiveState's distribution until = now (which uses the long form, and advises you not to use paths with = spaces - I've no idea how it copes if you ignore its advice, though...) = I didn't realise that you'd been through this. > > (at least in cases where the install path does not contain spaces)? >=20 > I don't know that the WISE scripting language is capable of making = this > distinction, and in the absence of an actual problem I'm not going to = spend > time digging into it. It's certainly too late to make this kind of = change > in the 2.2 line, so if a volunteer appears who cares enough to address = it, > it would have to wait for 2.3. That's fair enough. And it's not major enough that I'm pushing for = anyone to waste time on it. I just thought I'd mention it in case it was = a simple change to a checkbox, or something. I'm always optimistic on a = Friday - I save the cynicism for Mondays... :-) Thanks for taking the time to comment. Paul.
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