[Python-Dev] towards a stricter definition of sys.executable (original) (raw)

Trent Mick trentm at ActiveState.com
Thu Mar 16 19:00:28 CET 2006

Fredrik Lundh wrote: > a) sys.executable points to the executable that was used to load the > Python interpreter library/dll. > > this use is supported by the docstring and the implementation, and is quite > common in the wild. an application using this interpretation may > > - call sys.executable to run another instance of itself > - extract data from resources embedded in (or attached to) sys.executable > - locate configuration data etc via os.path.dirname(sys.executable) > > etc.

[Thomas Heller wrote]

py2exe used the a) interpretation. It uses sys.executable to find the exe that is currently running, for registration of COM servers, and for finding resources in the exe: the manifest file that's needed for GUI applications on WindowsXP to give the native XP look and feel, icons, typelibs, and more.

The use case for b) 'call sys.executable to run a Python script' makes no sense for a py2exe'd application.

Ditto on both counts for PyXPCOM (Python embedded in Mozilla).

Trent

-- Trent Mick TrentM at ActiveState.com

More information about the Python-Dev mailing list