[Python-Dev] sys.path file feature (original) (raw)

Wolfgang tds333 at mailbox.org
Sat Sep 10 04:37:24 EDT 2016

Hi,

tracking the commit log I have noticed for Windows there was added a new feature which is very interesting and can also be useful for other platforms.

If I read it right it supports adding a sys.path text file near the executable to specify the Python sys.path variable and overwriting the default behavior.

https://hg.python.org/cpython/rev/03517dd54977

This change is only for Windows (if I read right). But I think it is thus valuable to add this in common as general rule. This also simplifies and unifies virtual environment creating and standalone redistribution.

Also I have one remaining question, is the "*.pth" file handling then disabled by this feature?

If yes, can this be a problem in a virtual environment if a package uses a pth file installed in the virtual environment site-packages directory?

Overall I think this is a great addition and the start to unify sys.path handling. And a good feature for redistribution of a Python interpreter without an installation. (Embedding, virtual environments, fat virtual environments, ...)

Regards,

Wolfgang

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