[vtk-developers] Fixing VTK Python Installation

[Prabhu Ramachandran]

>>>>> "Brad" == Brad King <brad.king at kitware.com> writes:

[...]
    >> If you know what you are doing you can use setup.py to do
    >> whatever else is needed.  I'll try and document it in
    >> Wrapping/Python/README.txt.

    Brad> Perfect.

I've checked in a preliminary setup.py.in into CVS.  This should work
with current CVS.  I've tested under Linux.  A few notes:

 1. The Wrapping/Python/vtk subdirectory gets installed.

 2. The vtk*Python.so's are installed into the vtk directory.
 
 3. The vtkpython and pvtkpython are also installed.  The reason this
    is done is that with Python Eggs it is possible (atleast in
    theory) to install multiple versions and switch between them.  The
    Python installers therefore can manage the special interpreters
    and those who need them can use them.

    To this end, could we also version vtkpython and pvtkpython?  That
    way someone could install multiple versions and simply switch a
    symlink or use the exact version of the interpreter.

In your install rule I think you can simply do the following:

 1. Create a VTK_PYTHON_SETUP_ARGS option which defaults to
    "--prefix=${CMAKE_PREFIX}".  

 2. Then simply call::

       python setup.py install ${VTK_PYTHON_SETUP_ARGS}

    from inside the BUILD_DIR/Wrapping/Python.  This can be run
    anytime and does not need to be run after the rest of the
    libraries are installed.

You don't need to install {p,}vtkpython* and the extension modules.
You *will* need to install the vtk*PythonD.so's and
vtk*PythonTkWidgets.


We need to decide on the following:

 1. vtk*PythonD, vtk*Python or vtk*Python, vtk*PythonM?

 2. Versioning vtkpython, pvtkpython.


Once this is all finalized I can check in a final setup.py.in and
document it all in the README.txt.

As I said before, I am going out of town (no email access) and will be
back on 18th.  So if all the decisions are taken by then we can finish
this off.

Thanks for all the help and being my dashboard buddy!

cheers,
prabhu