Python for OpenVMS

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This section describes how the environment for the installation and building process is to be prepared.

disk space calculations

The following information should help you to calculate the amount of disk space required during and after installation. Sizes are taken from a disk with a cluster size of 4.

PYTHON2_1_1-V001.ZIP - about 9950 blocks: Can be stored anywhere, however this file should be saved for future use.
The BACKUP save-set from this '.ZIP' file is about 38250 blocks big.
translated documentation - about 11130 blocks: Is stored in the Python tree by running CVT_DOC.COM in each subdirectory of [.VMS.DOC]. Required only if the HTML documentation in the source tree is translated to text or printer formats. The number of blocks includes '.RNO' and other RUNOFF temporary files.
compiled Python code - about 4550 blocks: After building the interpreter the source code from the Python library should be pre-compiled.
Python documentation - 14446 blocks: This is the directory tree [PYTHON.HTML2_1_1...] which is from the file HTML2_1_1.ZIP.

Total space used on OpenVMS VAX is at least 76,000 blocks (/noDEBUG /OPTIMIZE, all modules enabled, threading enabled) on a disk with a cluster size of 4 blocks.

These numbers are from the 2.1.1-V001 version. Updates contain bugfixes for existing files and new functionality in new files so the final disk space that is required very likely will be higher (did you expect something else?).

select directory for the installation

The top-level of the directory tree is assumed to be named [PYTHON]. The current Python environment requires 6 directory levels. All instructions so far assume that the [PYTHON] directory is directly stored in the master file directory ([000000]) of a disk (e.g. DSA3: or DKA100:). No tests have been done to use a concealed logical name for the 'disk'.

Note that during first-time execution of the procedure SETUP.COM it creates a subdirectory named [.PYTHON_TMP] where the logical name SYS$SCRATCH: points to. It will also change the logical names PYTHON_EXEC_PREFIX_P: and PYTHON_EXEC_PREFIX_V: and will create a new directory.
See the 'General Manual', 'path support' for details.

logical names

A number of logical names are used to point to certain directories. The person who installs the software should be able to type in the commands from the instructions directly or use cut and paste without changes.

The following logical names are currently used:

PYTHON_DISK: Device on which the software is to be installed. Using a concealed device might be possible, but has not been tested.
PYTHON_DOC_DEMO: Directory of the 'Demoes Manual'. It is used by the DEMO_EXTRACT.PY script. See 'extracting demoes from the manual' in the 'Demoes Manual'.
PYTHON_INCLUDE: Python include directories - these can be used by other modules that are used to enhance Python, but do not live in it's directory tree.
PYTHON_INS_TMP: A temporary directory for scratch space during the installation.
PYTHON_INS_TOOLS: A directory that contains executables of the tools (UNZIP) that are used during the installation.
PYTHON_OLB: Architecture-specific (Alpha, VAX) directory tree that contains object libraries and object files of the Python core interpreter, OpenVMS support and extensions.
PYTHON_TOOLS: Directory for tools that are delivered with Python for OpenVMS.
PYTHON_VMS: Almost all of the files from the port to OpenVMS are in this directory tree.

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The procedure PYTHON_LOGICALS.COM in the [.VMS] subdirectory will take care for some of them:

$ @ DSA3:[PYTHON.PYTHON2_1_1.VMS]PYTHON_LOGICALS 1

Other names are created by the SETUP.COM procedure in the same directory, because this procedure defines the configuration and some logicals depend on the configuration.

$ @ PYTHON_VMS:SETUP

The logical name PYTHON_INS_TMP need to be defined by you.

create directories

$ create /DIRECTORY /PROTECTION=(G:RE;W:RE) PYTHON_INS_TMP:

foreign commands

Place the executable of the UNZIP tool into PYTHON_INS_TOOLS:. The processor architecture should be part of the filename, e.g. UNZIP_ALPHA.EXE

Define a foreign command for UNZIP. The following example can be put into a command procedure to work on Alpha and VAX systems.

$ _ARCH = "ALPHA"
$ if (F$GETSYI("CPU").le.127) then $ _ARCH = "VAX"
$ UNZIP == "$PYTHON_INS_TOOLS:UNZIP_''_ARCH'.EXE"
$ delete /SYMBOL /LOCAL _ARCH

@@ This does not work for version 2.1.1-V001 - please use a different directory.

store software kits

Store the files that you have downloaded into PYTHON_INS_TMP: or download them now into that directory.

OpenVMS patches

See the 'patches' page in the 'General Manual' whether you might have to apply one to your OpenVMS system.

(go to: table of contents, index, prev: files from the Python for OpenVMS distribution, next: installing and building)

27-JUL-2001 ZE.