I fear that since you went down this path of controlling the python install, if I set up additional modules, packages, etc..., that when the time comes, I uninstall 10, and this will in turn kill everything else. Has anyone tested this scenario, this potentially painful scenario?
On test machines, who cares but production machines, this is a big worry.
Ted, ArcGIS 10 requires Python 2.6.x (note the x) and numpy 1.3.0. So as long as these two compenents are already present on the machine before installing ArcGIS 10, the installer will NOT install and hence manage your python. So now you are free to install and other python package. The installer will still install the arcpy module. but it is installed within arcgis install directory The recommened steps to use your own python install with ArcGIS 10 (pre-release) are Before Installing ArcGIS 10 Desktop,
Install Python2.6.x (current release version is Python 2.6.5)
Install numpy 1.3.0. You must install version 1.3.0 of numpy. You can use numpy-1.3.0-win32-superpack-python2.6.exe or other appropriate installer for windows.
Now when you install ArcGIS Desktop 10, the installer will NOT install python and numpy and you are free to add any additional python packages without the fear of losing them. I have tested this scenario with Desktop 10 Pre-release.
2.6.5 has been tested internally to work with arcpy?
ArcGIS 10 Pre-release ships with Python 2.6.2. We are still testing Python 2.6.5 but so far I have not seen any issues with using Python 2.6.5 even with 10 pre-release.
Is there any hit on performance with this scenario?
There is no performance hit. Either scenarios are identical from ArcGIS view point.
ok, I have done what you asked, and initially it looks ok. So, then it seems like you fixed the issue then with having a 2.6 install already on the machine, then doing the ArcGIS install, and seeing the results. This was not pretty early on, so thank you Deelesh. Will continue testing... So, then is this something that may happen early on in the 10 release where 2.6.5 will be supported, but 2.6.2 will still come in the box?
ArcGIS 10 final will ship with one and only one version of python. At Pre-release we have 2.6.2. Most probably for 10 final we will have 2.6.5. Having said that, ArcGIS 10 will work with any 2.6 version of python. So say 6 months from now, we have Python 2.6.6 released but ArcGIS is using only 2.6.5, you can safely install Python 2.6.6 and ArcGIS will work ok. Note that this compatibility works only with a major release of Python. In other words ArcGIS 10 will never work with Python 2.7 or Python 3.1 or any other major release of python. Only Python 2.6 is supported.
Also note that you should also install numpy 1.3.0 BEFORE installing ArcGIS 10. Only installing Python 2.6.5 and not installing numpy 1.3.0 WILL confuse the ArcGIS 10 installer (at pre-release) and you will get unwanted results. So always keep Python 2.6.x and Numpy 1.3.0 together and things will work well.
ArcGIS 10 final will ship with one and only one version of python. At Pre-release we have 2.6.2. Most probably for 10 final we will have 2.6.5. Having said that, ArcGIS 10 will work with any 2.6 version of python. So say 6 months from now, we have Python 2.6.6 released but ArcGIS is using only 2.6.5, you can safely install Python 2.6.6 and ArcGIS will work ok. Note that this compatibility works only with a major release of Python. In other words ArcGIS 10 will never work with Python 2.7 or Python 3.1 or any other major release of python. Only Python 2.6 is supported.
Also note that you should also install numpy 1.3.0 BEFORE installing ArcGIS 10. Only installing Python 2.6.5 and not installing numpy 1.3.0 WILL confuse the ArcGIS 10 installer (at pre-release) and you will get unwanted results. So always keep Python 2.6.x and Numpy 1.3.0 together and things will work well.
Deelesh
I love to confuse ArcMap, its great fun 🙂
Pat Ghis on the back and tell him he is doing a great job, if he is still there.
Should be able to just install python and numpy, and then change the .pth file, rather than re installing ArcGIS.
Thanks, Ted. I'm having trouble locating the .pth file. Do you know where it usually lives or whether it is simply a matter of creating one? Thanks again.
