EnablePython

EnablePython is a PowerShell module with functions for listing and enabling (i.e. adding the installation and scripts directories to your PATH environment variable) installed versions of Python (that register themselves on Windows in acordance with PEP 514).

Installation

EnablePython is availble on the PowerShell Gallery, and can be installed at the PowerShell prompt:

PS> Install-Module -Name EnablePython

Using the Module

Getting Python Installs

Once the module is installed and has been imported, you can list all of the installed Python versions by issuing the Get-Python command. This will display all of the installed Python versions:

Name     : PythonCore 2.7 (x86-64)
Company  : PythonCore
Tag      : 2.7
Version  : 2.7.10
Platform : 64
Scope    : AllUsers

Name     : PythonCore 2.7 (x86-32)
Company  : PythonCore
Tag      : 2.7
Version  : 2.7.10
Platform : 32
Scope    : AllUsers

Name     : Continuum Analytics, Inc. Anaconda 4.5.11 (x86-64)
Company  : ContinuumAnalytics
Tag      : Anaconda37-64
Version  : 3.7.0
Platform : 64
Scope    : CurrentUser

You can use a number of parameters to filter the list:

• Scope (e.g. CurrentUser, AllUsers)
• Company (e.g. PythonCore, ContinuumAnalytics)
• Version (e.g. 3.5, 2.7)
• Platform (e.g. 64, 32)
• Tag (e.g. Anaconda37-64)

The Company, Version, and Tag filters all match from the start of the string with a wildcard at the end, so a value of Continnuum for Company would match ContinuumAnalytics, but a value of conda for Tag will not match Anaconda37-64.

The list of installs is sorted as per the order of properties listed above. Scope sorts CurrentUser before AllUsers, Company is sorted alphabetically (except for PythonCore, which is always listed first if available), Version is sorted in descending order (highest available version first), Platform is sorted in descending order (64-bit before 32-bit), and Tag is sorted alphabetically.

Examples

Get all Python installs available and sort them:

PS> Get-Python


Name     : PythonCore 2.7 (x86-64)
Company  : PythonCore
Tag      : 2.7
Version  : 2.7.10
Platform : 64
Scope    : AllUsers

Name     : PythonCore 2.7 (x86-32)
Company  : PythonCore
Tag      : 2.7
Version  : 2.7.10
Platform : 32
Scope    : AllUsers

Name     : Continuum Analytics, Inc. Anaconda 4.5.11 (x86-64)
Company  : ContinuumAnalytics
Tag      : Anaconda37-64
Version  : 3.7.0
Platform : 64
Scope    : CurrentUser

Get all Python installs from a company and sort them:

PS> Get-Python -Company ContinuumAnalytics


Name     : Continuum Analytics, Inc. Anaconda 4.5.11 (x86-64)
Company  : ContinuumAnalytics
Tag      : Anaconda37-64
Version  : 3.7.0
Platform : 64
Scope    : CurrentUser

Gets all Python installs with a particular version/platform and sort them:

PS> Get-Python -Version 2.7 -Platform 32


Name     : PythonCore 2.7 (x86-32)
Company  : PythonCore
Tag      : 2.7
Version  : 2.7.10
Platform : 32
Scope    : AllUsers

The Version and Platform parameters are positional, and can be specified without their respective names:

PS> Get-Python 2.7 64


Name     : PythonCore 2.7 (x86-64)
Company  : PythonCore
Tag      : 2.7
Version  : 2.7.10
Platform : 64
Scope    : AllUsers

Enabling Python Installs

To enable a Python installation on your current shell instance, use the Enable-Python function. This function supports the same filtering and does the same sorting as the Get-Python function. The top-most sorted Python install will be enabled, as long as one or more installs are found (given supplied parameters).

There are additional options that can control how an environment gets activated:

• PythonHome: set a custom Python Home path on activating the environment, which will be automatically removed on deactivation
• NoPlatformUserBase: EnablePython fixes an issue with running multiple Pythons at the same version with different platforms (e.g. Python 2.7 x86-32 and x86-64). Python by default uses the same directory on both platforms for user installed site-package, which is a problem for any packages that are platform specific. By default, EnablePython sets an environment variable to have custom per-platform paths in the form <RoamingAppData>\EnablePython\<PythonPlatform>. Setting this switch disables this functionality.

Examples

Get all Python installs available, sort them, and enable the top-most install:

PS> Enable-Python
Multiple Python distributions found matching that criteria, enabling the top choice...
"PythonCore 2.7 (x86-64)" has been enabled.

Get all Python installs from a company, sort them, and enable the top-most install:

PS> Enable-Python -Company ContinuumAnalytics
"Continuum Analytics, Inc. Anaconda 4.5.11 (x86-64)" has been enabled.

Get all Python installs with a particular version/platform, sort them, and enable the top-most install:

PS> Enable-Python -Version 2.7 -Platform 32
"PythonCore 2.7 (x86-32)" has been enabled.

The Version and Platform parameters are positional, and can be specified without their respective names:

PS> Enable-Python 2.7 64
"PythonCore 2.7 (x86-64)" has been enabled.