wxPython installation issues on Debian

[amhoov]

Hi all,

I'm trying to install wxPython on Debian using 'apt-get install
python-wxgtk2.4.' I've got both Python 2.3 and 2.4 installed with 2.4
set as my default. For whatever reason, wxPython always installs under
/usr/lib/python2.3/site-packages.

Does anyone know how I can force it to install in 2.4's site-packages
directory?

Thanks,
Aaron

 

[Robert Kern]

Hi all,

I'm trying to install wxPython on Debian using 'apt-get install
python-wxgtk2.4.' I've got both Python 2.3 and 2.4 installed with 2.4
set as my default. For whatever reason, wxPython always installs under
/usr/lib/python2.3/site-packages.

Does anyone know how I can force it to install in 2.4's site-packages
directory?

Install the right package: python2.4-wxgtk2.4

--
Robert Kern
(e-mail address removed)

"In the fields of hell where the grass grows high
Are the graves of dreams allowed to die."
-- Richard Harter

 

[amhoov]

Hi Robert,

Thanks for the suggestion, but an apt-cache search python2.4-wxgtk2.4
returns no results for a package with that name.

Aaron

 

[Kenneth Pronovici]

Thanks for the suggestion, but an apt-cache search python2.4-wxgtk2.4

returns no results for a package with that name.

As you observed, the Debian wxPython packages currently only support one
version of Python at a time. That decision ripples down and ends up
affecting a number of other things -- for instance, it's also the reason
that the Pythoncard Debian packages I maintain are only supported for a
single version of Python.

I'm sure that Ron (the Debian wxWidgets maintainer) has a good reason
for supporting only one Python version, but I don't personally know what
it is. This package does seem to be rather difficult to maintain, and
that could be why he chose to do things this way. Or, it might just be
that the default version of Python in Debian (even in etch) is still
2.3, and he's decided to support only the default version. You could
try writing him to find out for sure.

If you really can't live with using Python 2.3, then I guess you have
two choices -- you can either download, modify and rebuild the Debian
package (apt-get source and dpkg-buildpackage) or try to get an upstream
binary distribution for your platform (which I guess could be
problematic unless you also get binaries for the underlying libraries,
etc.).

Or, of course, you can also try building from the upstream source and
install to /usr/local or something. Using that option, you might get
away with installing the underlying wxWidgets shared libraries from the
Debian package, and only the Python parts from source (if you're lucky).

I imagine that's not the answer you're looking for, but I hope that
helps a little,

KEN

 

[amhoov]

Hi Ken,

Thanks a lot for the clarification. I don't have a compelling reason
not to use 2.3 other than having to install the modules I've already
set up for 2.4. Not really a big deal. Looks like I'll be switching to
2.3.

Thanks again,
Aaron

 

[Paul McNett]

Thanks a lot for the clarification. I don't have a compelling reason
not to use 2.3 other than having to install the modules I've already
set up for 2.4. Not really a big deal. Looks like I'll be switching to
2.3.

Umm, for what it's worth: I'm on Ubuntu (a Debian derivative), using Python
2.4.2 and wxPython 2.6. The wxPython was installed using 'apt-get install
python-wxGtk2.6'.

So I don't know why you say you need to use Python 2.3 as I don't even have that
on my system.

 

[Robert Kern]

Umm, for what it's worth: I'm on Ubuntu (a Debian derivative), using Python
2.4.2 and wxPython 2.6. The wxPython was installed using 'apt-get install
python-wxGtk2.6'.

So I don't know why you say you need to use Python 2.3 as I don't even have that
on my system.

Although Ubuntu is a Debian derivative, it does have different packages.
At the moment, Debian's default Python is 2.3 although one can also
install Python 2.4, and most Python packages in Debian have been built
for both (that's why I erroneously recommended installing the apparently
nonexistant python2.4-wxgtk2.4). However, it appears that the maintainer
of the Debian wxPython is not building packages for both Python 2.3 and
2.4. The maintainer of the Ubuntu wxPython package apparently is.

--
Robert Kern
(e-mail address removed)

"In the fields of hell where the grass grows high
Are the graves of dreams allowed to die."
-- Richard Harter

 

[Paul McNett]

Although Ubuntu is a Debian derivative, it does have different packages.
At the moment, Debian's default Python is 2.3 although one can also
install Python 2.4, and most Python packages in Debian have been built
for both (that's why I erroneously recommended installing the apparently
nonexistant python2.4-wxgtk2.4). However, it appears that the maintainer
of the Debian wxPython is not building packages for both Python 2.3 and
2.4. The maintainer of the Ubuntu wxPython package apparently is.

As far as I know, the maintainer of the wxPython package is the same (Ron) and
Ubuntu just uses the upstream wxPython from Debian. However, I see above that
you are referencing wxPython 2.4 and not 2.6. It is very possible that for
wxPython 2.4, there is only a Python 2.3 package.

wxPython 2.4 is obsolete. If possible, wxPython 2.6 should be used. But, I don't
know if it is available for Python 2.4 under Debian (or Ubuntu, for that matter).

 

[Robert Kern]

As far as I know, the maintainer of the wxPython package is the same (Ron) and
Ubuntu just uses the upstream wxPython from Debian. However, I see above that
you are referencing wxPython 2.4 and not 2.6. It is very possible that for
wxPython 2.4, there is only a Python 2.3 package.

wxPython 2.4 is obsolete. If possible, wxPython 2.6 should be used. But, I don't
know if it is available for Python 2.4 under Debian (or Ubuntu, for that matter).

Still only available for Python 2.3 it seems.

http://packages.debian.org/testing/python/python-wxgtk2.6
http://packages.qa.debian.org/w/wxwidgets2.6.html

--
Robert Kern
(e-mail address removed)

"In the fields of hell where the grass grows high
Are the graves of dreams allowed to die."
-- Richard Harter

 

[Chris Mellon]

Still only available for Python 2.3 it seems.

http://packages.debian.org/testing/python/python-wxgtk2.6
http://packages.qa.debian.org/w/wxwidgets2.6.html

The ubuntu patch available from the second link seems to provide
support for Python 2.4 (judging from a quick skim). If you're feeling
adventurous, maybe you could try applying that and installing. Or
perhaps just installing the ubuntu package manually, or try using
alien on one of the official RPMs.