virtualenv on Windows

[Mike Dewhirst]

A little while ago I suggested to someone using Windows to implement
virtualenv "later". So I thought I'd document my experience here.

In summary, it probably works well if you have Visual Studio. The
process outlined below shows a clumsy workaround if you don't.

Hope it helps someone

Mike

- - - - - -

$pip install virtualenv # first step (requires pip obviously)

$mkdir c:\users\miked\env

$virtualenv --no-site-packages c:\users\miked\env\proj-x
New python executable in c:\users\miked\env\proj-x\Scripts\python.exe
Installing setuptools, pip...done.

Now copy your "myproject-x" into c:\users\miked\env\proj-x\myproject-x

At this point on Linux one would install virtualenv-wrapper but that is
unfortunately not available for Windows so a simple workaround is ...

1. mkdir \users\miked\bin # could be anything eg \users\miked\bat

2. Add C:\users\miked\bin to the path environment variable

3. Create a batch file called C:\users\miked\bin\proj-x.bat containing:

cd \users\miked\env\proj-x\myproject-x
..\Scripts\activate

4. Create another batch file
C:\users\miked\env\proj-x\myproject-x\exit.bat containing:

cd \users\miked\
\users\miked\env\proj-x\Scripts\deactivate

5. Test the workaround by opening a command prompt somewhere and
entering proj-x. You should see:

C:\Documents and Settings\Mike Dewhirst\Desktop>cd
\users\miked\env\proj-x\myproject-x

C:\users\miked\env\proj-x\myproject-x>..\Scripts\activate
(proj-x) C:\users\miked\env\proj-x\myproject-x>

6. Test the exit batch file by entering exit at that command prompt:

C:\users\miked\env\proj-x\myproject-x>..\Scripts\activate
(proj-x) C:\users\miked\env\proj-x\myproject-x>exit

(proj-x) C:\users\miked\env\proj-x\myproject-x>cd \users\miked\

(proj-x) C:\users\miked>\users\miked\env\proj-x\Scripts\deactivate
C:\users\miked>

This should let you get into and out of the virtualenv quite easily.

Now comes the difficult bit for Windows - installing stuff in the new
Python's site-packages. First, though, discover what you already have
installed in your main site-packages:

pip freeze > requirements.txt # lists existing site-packages

Here is mine, most of which I don't want in proj-x

Django==1.5.4
Jinja2==2.7.1
MarkupSafe==0.18
Pygments==1.6
South==0.7.6
Sphinx==1.1.3
coverage==3.7
django-discover-runner==1.0
docutils==0.9.1
filemov==1.1.1-2728-py2.7
pillow==2.3.0
pss==1.38
psycopg2==2.4.5
py2exe==0.6.9
pytz==2012h
pywin32==218
virtualenv==1.11.2

So I edit it down to the following, create a directory and save it as
C:\users\miked\env\proj-x\requirements\requirements.txt

Django==1.5.4
South==0.7.6
coverage==3.7
django-discover-runner==1.0
pillow==2.3.0
psycopg2==2.4.5
pytz==2013.9

pip install -r C:\users\miked\env\proj-x\requirements\requirements.txt

And this where (my) problems start. First pip will download the packages
successfully but I don't have Visual Studio installed so those packages
requiring compilation don't get installed. Here is a snippet of pip
output after the downloads:

Installing collected packages: Django, South, coverage,
django-discover-runner, pillow, psycopg2, pytz
Running setup.py install for Django

... and so on until errors start to appear. In my case the signal is:

error: Unable to find vcvarsall.bat

Afterwards, pip freeze shows:

(proj-x) C:\users\miked\env\proj-x>pip freeze
Django==1.5.4
South==0.7.6
coverage==3.7
django-discover-runner==1.0

... which indicates pillow, psycopg2 and pytz did not install.

But how come they were installed in the main site-packages? That's
because they were originally downloaded from
http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~gohlke/pythonlibs/ and installed manually.

However, even after downloading from that site they cannot be installed
manually into a virtualenv! Only pip can do that. The only workaround I
have found is to manually copy them from the main site-packages to the
new virtualenv site-packages. Clumsy.

My proj-x requirements.txt file now looks like this ...

Django==1.5.4
South==0.7.6
coverage==3.7
django-discover-runner==1.0
# pillow==2.3.0 http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~gohlke/pythonlibs/
# psycopg2==2.4.5 http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~gohlke/pythonlibs/
# pytz==2013.9 http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~gohlke/pythonlibs/

After the above clumsy workaround everything works well and pip freeze
displays ...

Django==1.5.4
South==0.7.6
coverage==3.7
django-discover-runner==1.0
pillow==2.3.0
psycopg2==2.4.5
pytz==2013.9

[Sam Lai]

> However, even after downloading from that site they cannot be installed manually into a virtualenv! Only pip can do that.

You can install the packages from
http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~gohlke/pythonlibs/ by simply running -

pip install <path to the .exe file>

... from inside your virtualenv. Those .exe files are pip-compatible
ZIP archives

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[Mike Dewhirst]

On 29/01/2014 2:23pm, Sam Lai wrote:
>> However, even after downloading from that site they cannot be installed manually into a virtualenv! Only pip can do that.
>
> You can install the packages from
> http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~gohlke/pythonlibs/ by simply running -
>
> pip install <path to the .exe file>

I did try that earlier but had no luck. Maybe I got the incantation wrong?

(proj-x) C:\users\miked\env\proj-x>pip install
C:\install_kits\python\postgresql\psycopg2-2.4.5.win32-py2.7.exe

Exception:
Traceback
...
ValueError: ('Missing distribution spec',
'\\install_kits\\python\\postgresql\\psycopg2-2.4.5.win32-py2.7.exe')

Mike

[Sam Lai]

Oops, my memory failed me. They don't work with pip, but they do work
with easy_install, which virtualenvs have as well (at least mine do).

http://stackoverflow.com/a/5442340/150999

For example,

easy_install C:\Users\sam\Downloads\Pygments-1.6.win-amd64-py2.7.exe

> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/django-users/52E8914E.6020107%40dewhirst.com.au.

[Mike Dewhirst]

On 29/01/2014 7:10pm, Sam Lai wrote:
> Oops, my memory failed me. They don't work with pip, but they do work
> with easy_install, which virtualenvs have as well (at least mine do).
>
> http://stackoverflow.com/a/5442340/150999
>
> For example,
>
> easy_install C:\Users\sam\Downloads\Pygments-1.6.win-amd64-py2.7.exe

Thanks Sam - I'll rework my experience :)

[Mike Dewhirst]

On 29/01/2014 7:10pm, Sam Lai wrote:

> Oops, my memory failed me. They don't work with pip, but they do work
> with easy_install, which virtualenvs have as well (at least mine do).
>
> http://stackoverflow.com/a/5442340/150999
>
> For example,
>
> easy_install C:\Users\sam\Downloads\Pygments-1.6.win-amd64-py2.7.exe

Yes - that works. I have now reworked reality into a complex
interlocking web of batch scripts which would be embarrassing to show.

However, this evening at the Melbourne PUG meeting I heard about
Anaconda which apparently make virtualenv passé. Haven't looked at it
yet. Might be a day or so ...

Cheers

Mike

[CLIFFORD ILKAY]

On 02/03/2014 05:11 AM, Mike Dewhirst wrote:
>
> However, this evening at the Melbourne PUG meeting I heard about
> Anaconda which apparently make virtualenv passé. Haven't looked at it
> yet. Might be a day or so ...

That's an unfortunate choice of a name for a Python related project
given that the Fedora/Red Hat installer is called Anaconda and is
written in Python.

--
Regards,

Clifford Ilkay

647-778-8696

Dinamis

<http://dinamis.com>

[werefrog]

Hello,

For Windows, I tried many ways that worked but I finally installed
Visual Studio 2008 C++ for the compilation problems and only pillow and
psycopg2 resist in my case (I simply extract the content of the binaries
from http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~gohlke/pythonlibs/, copy content from
'SCRIPTS' to project's virtualenv 'Scripts' and 'PLATLIB' to project's
virtualven 'Lib/site-packages'; I'll give a try to the easy_install with
them, thank you).

While speaking of psycopg2, I spent a ridiculous amount of time
struggling with postgresql installation on Windows to finally discover
that you should stick to ASCII for the password chosen on this platform.
(Yes, I missed some warning).

You can use virtualenvwrapper-win on Windows. The documentation is short
and efficient but here is some basic steps, begining from install:

pip install -U virtualenv
pip install -U virtualenvwrapper-win

You have to set WORKON_HOME environment variable to to directory where
will be grouped your virtualenvs to make it convenient.

Update pip and setuptools:

easy_install -U pip
pip install -U setuptools

Then, create your virtualenv:

mkvirtualenv myproject

Activate the virtualenv (you will then be on %WORKON_HOME%/myproject/):

workon myproject

I keep projects in their own directory independant from virtualenv. To
add your project directory to its virualenv's pythonpath, use the
following command where <path> can be full or relative:

setprojectdir <path>

Now, install your requirements:

pip install -r requirements.txt

You can use cdproject and cdvirtualenv commands to go to project and
virtualenv directories.

To go back to the 'general' environment, just type:

deactivate

Additional details you probably already know: remember to not rely on
the registry to execute your python scripts :) for example:

python manage.py runserver

and not:

manage.py runserver

Edit you virtualenv's Script\activate.bat to add any other specific
environment variables and don't forget .pth files for specific python path.

That's all for today!

Regards,
Michel

[Mike Dewhirst]

Michel

I learned quite a lot and appreciate it greatly!

Thankyou

Mike

[Nick Santos]

FYI, virtualenvwrapper was ported to windows: https://pypi.python.org/pypi/virtualenvwrapper-win

It works seamlessly like the linux/OSX versions

-Nick

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[Mike Dewhirst]

Thanks Nick

All this goodness is coming to light just I have (almost) given up
Windows altogether. I only need to persuade one more person on my
network to walk away from Microsoft and I'm free! FREE!

Sob ...

Mike

On 4/02/2014 10:39am, Nick Santos wrote:
> FYI, virtualenvwrapper was ported to windows:
> https://pypi.python.org/pypi/virtualenvwrapper-win
>
> It works seamlessly like the linux/OSX versions

> -Nick<mailto:ni...@enviroconsumer.org>

>
>
>
> On Mon, Feb 3, 2014 at 3:10 PM, Mike Dewhirst <mi...@dewhirst.com.au
> <mailto:mi...@dewhirst.com.au>> wrote:
>
> Michel
>
> I learned quite a lot and appreciate it greatly!
>
> Thankyou
>
> Mike
>
>
> On 4/02/2014 7:37am, werefrog wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
> For Windows, I tried many ways that worked but I finally installed
> Visual Studio 2008 C++ for the compilation problems and only pillow
> and psycopg2 resist in my case (I simply extract the content of the

> binaries from http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~__gohlke/pythonlibs/
> <http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~gohlke/pythonlibs/>, copy content from

> django-users+unsubscribe@__googlegroups.com
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>
>
<https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/django-users/52F021F0.1050004%40dewhirst.com.au>.
>
> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/__groups/opt_out
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>
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[Avraham Serour]

You can easily install pillow on windows using 'easy_install pillow' it comes with the necessary binaries and you don't need to compile

On Feb 4, 2014 2:30 AM, "Mike Dewhirst" <mi...@dewhirst.com.au> wrote:

Thanks Nick

All this goodness is coming to light just I have (almost) given up Windows altogether. I only need to persuade one more person on my network to walk away from Microsoft and I'm free! FREE!

Sob ...

Mike

On 4/02/2014 10:39am, Nick Santos wrote:

FYI, virtualenvwrapper was ported to windows:
https://pypi.python.org/pypi/virtualenvwrapper-win

It works seamlessly like the linux/OSX versions

-Nick<mailto:nick@enviroconsumer.org>

<mailto:django-users@googlegroups.com>. Visit this group at

http://groups.google.com/__group/django-users
<http://groups.google.com/group/django-users>. To view this
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[Mike Dewhirst]

On 4/02/2014 5:31pm, Avraham Serour wrote:
> You can easily install pillow on windows using 'easy_install pillow' it
> comes with the necessary binaries and you don't need to compile

Bingo! Yes - it puts it in an egg.

Thanks Avraham

>
> On Feb 4, 2014 2:30 AM, "Mike Dewhirst" <mi...@dewhirst.com.au

> <mailto:mi...@dewhirst.com.au>> wrote:
>
> Thanks Nick
>
> All this goodness is coming to light just I have (almost) given up
> Windows altogether. I only need to persuade one more person on my
> network to walk away from Microsoft and I'm free! FREE!
>
> Sob ...
>
> Mike
>
> On 4/02/2014 10:39am, Nick Santos wrote:
>
> FYI, virtualenvwrapper was ported to windows:

> https://pypi.python.org/pypi/__virtualenvwrapper-win

> <https://pypi.python.org/pypi/virtualenvwrapper-win>
>
> It works seamlessly like the linux/OSX versions

> -Nick<mailto:nick@__enviroconsumer.org
> <mailto:ni...@enviroconsumer.org>>

>
>
>
> On Mon, Feb 3, 2014 at 3:10 PM, Mike Dewhirst
> <mi...@dewhirst.com.au <mailto:mi...@dewhirst.com.au>

> <mailto:mi...@dewhirst.com.au

> <mailto:mi...@dewhirst.com.au>>__> wrote:
>
> Michel
>
> I learned quite a lot and appreciate it greatly!
>
> Thankyou
>
> Mike
>
>
> On 4/02/2014 7:37am, werefrog wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
> For Windows, I tried many ways that worked but I finally installed
> Visual Studio 2008 C++ for the compilation problems and only pillow
> and psycopg2 resist in my case (I simply extract the content of the

> binaries from http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~____gohlke/pythonlibs/
> <http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~__gohlke/pythonlibs/>

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