Re: [Visualpython-users] How to install VPython v3 and v5 within the same Python installation ?

[Stef M. <s.m...@ru...>]

thanks Bruce,

Bruce Sherwood wrote:
> The problem with installing two Visuals for one Python is the conflict 
> between the name "visual" being then ambiguous. I just tried a little 
> experiment of changing the name of the new site-packages/visual to 
> visual5 and installing Visual 3 as well, then trying to do "from 
> visual5 import *", but that didn't work. Maybe someone else will 
> figure out how to fight through the name problems.
>
> Another workaround is to install Visual 3, save a copy of the relevant 
> materials from site-packages, then delete from site-packages. Then 
> install Visual 5, save a copy of these materials. Now you can swithc 
> back and forth by copying the desired files into site-packages from 
> the saved copies.
>
I played around, and found  the following work around:
- I installed Vpython version 5 on a different computer (afraid of  
harming my own work-PC ;-)
- called the visual directory "visual5"
- copied that visual5 directory to site-packages
- created the function below, which I place on a central place where all 
programs can reach it
- and add a line to all VPython programs  "Get_Visual ( ... )"  before 
importing visual, seems to work great.

cheers,
Stef


def Get_Visual ( Version = 3 ) :
  import os, sys
  print sys.path
  for path in sys.path :
    if path.endswith ( 'site-packages') :
      print path
      break
  vpath = os.path.join ( path, 'visual' )
  if ( Version == 3 ) and os.path.exists ( vpath + '3' ) :
    print 'Visual ==> V3', vpath
    os.rename ( vpath, vpath + '5' )
    os.rename ( vpath + '3', vpath )
  elif ( Version == 5 ) and os.path.exists ( vpath + '5' ) :
    print 'Visual ==> V5', vpath
    os.rename ( vpath, vpath + '3' )
    os.rename ( vpath + '5', vpath )

Get_Visual ( 3 )
from visual import *
...