Installing Python scripts

[kalasoka]

Hi Everyone,

I have a small application written using Python. I've a "setup.py" script to install this application and related files. However, I'm confused where should these files get installed.

Would "/usr/local/myapp" be a good idea? Or is there any kinda standard location in Linux where one should install them?

The point to note is that this is not a single executable file. But a bunch of scripts together with other related data and configuration files - and they should exist in the same directory.

Thanks in advance for all your help!

~ Barun

[derrick81787]

Hi Everyone,

I have a small application written using Python. I've a "setup.py" script to install this application and related files. However, I'm confused where should these files get installed.

Would "/usr/local/myapp" be a good idea? Or is there any kinda standard location in Linux where one should install them?

The point to note is that this is not a single executable file. But a bunch of scripts together with other related data and configuration files - and they should exist in the same directory.

Thanks in advance for all your help!

~ Barun

I had a similar setup for one of my Python programs I had written. I put all of my files into /etc/myapp/ and then put a simple executable Bash script into /usr/local/bin that I used to cd into the directory and launch the program. /usr/local/bin is the standard location to put custom applications, but only binaries go in there.

If you do this and put your files in /etc/myapp/ and the name of your main executable is myexec, the bash script (here called myscript) would look like this:


#!/usr/bin/env bash
cd /etc/myapp
./myexec
exit

Then, as long as it's marked executable with chmod +x myscript, you can launch your program from the command line by simply typing myscript.

- Derrick

[kalasoka]

Hi Derrick,

This seems to be a good idea!

[wmcbrine]

Please don't put programs under /etc.

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r24165131-Where-to-palce-my-app-and-files

[kalasoka]

Thanks for pointing this out!

I think I should go for installing in the $HOME dir itself. It's a rather small application, and theoretically multiple users could have different configurations. That way, I can put all my files altogether.

[wmcbrine]

Ugh. No. You can have a global installation with per-user configuration, and you should. Applications that do this normally keep their config data in a "hidden" file in $HOME (i.e., a file whose name starts with a "."). They may also keep global config (only!) in /etc.

I really urge you to take a closer look at what existing apps do before you proceed. And don't worry about keeping all your files together, because -- generally speaking -- Linux just doesn't work that way.