[BioPython] Windows Install Question

[Brad Chapman]

Hi Andreas, Jeff;

Andreas:
> > >error: command 'cl.exe' failed: No such file or directory

Jeff:
> > I've not used Biopython on windows before, but it looks like it's
> > expecting a compiler called "cl.exe" and not finding it. 

Yup, right on target. It's set up to use the microsoft c++ compiler
by default.

Andreas:
> I have a C++ compiler installed, but I don't know how to specify that
> for Distutils.

If you have Borland C++ installed, I have written up instructions in
the Tutorial for setting it up and compiling with it:

http://www.bioinformatics.org/bradstuff/bp/tut/Tutorial.html

See section 1.3.2. I'm no windows expert, by far, but I use this to
compile the installers (which you could also use to prevent having
to compile it, if you don't want to mess around with the compilers).

Andreas:
> If you'd like, once this works, I can write up what I've done to get
> biopython working for windows...

If you have a different C++ compiler and have time to write up
instructions that would be super. Changes, suggestions for the
current docs are also very welcome. You can check out the distutils
documentation at:

http://www.python.org/sigs/distutils-sig/doc/

to see if your compiler is supported by distutils.

> > >How does one change python's search path?  I installed python on a UNIX
> > >box, changing the --prefix to a writeable area.

You can set the PYTHONPATH environmental variable to point to
directories python should look in for libraries. It is a normal
colon separated unix variable:

/first/directory/with/python/files:/second/directory/with/python/files

I think it is similar on windows, but I'm not familiar enough with
windows to know the exact syntax.

> > >Thanks for your help, looking forward to contributing/working with
> > >biopython...

Well, if you'd like to maintain the windows installers, I'd love
that :-). There is always plenty to do around here!

Brad
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