Professional IronPython

obTAInIng And InsTALLIng THE PyTHon sTAndARd LIbRARy
You can obtain the Python Standard Library from a number of sources, but the best place to go is 
directly to the Python Web site at 
http://www.python.org/download/
. Download the Python 2.6.4 
Windows installer version of the product (about 14.2 MB). IronPython won’t currently work with the 
newer 3.1.1 version of Python (nor will many third-party libraries). After you complete the download, 
you’ll have a file named 
python-2.6.4.msi
. The following steps tell how to install the product on 
your machine.
1.
Right-click the file and choose Install from the context menu. You’ll see a Welcome page like 
the one shown in Figure 6-1 that asks whether you want to install Python for all users or just 
for your own needs. Notice that you can’t perform a personal installation on Windows Vista —
it really doesn’t work.
2.
Choose an installation option (either will work for the book) and click Next. The installer will 
ask where you want to install Python. In most cases, the installer will choose 
C:\Python26\
, 
which works out well for using the Standard Library from IronPython. As an alternative, you 
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Obtaining and Installing the Python Standard Library
 
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could install Python in a directory below the IronPython directory, but the default usually 
works fine.
FIguRE 6-1: 
Tell the installer whether you want a personal
install or one for everyone.
3.
Choose an installation location and click Next. You’ll see the Customize Python 2.6.4 dialog 
box shown in Figure 6-2. Notice the Register Extensions entry. If you let the installer make 
this change, Python, not IronPython, will be the default installation.
FIguRE 6-2: 
Customize the Python installation to meet
your needs.
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