Python – To install Markdown’s extensions by Python

markdownpython

The installation notes (git://gitorious.org/python-markdown/mainline.git) say in the file using_as_module.txt

One of the parameters that you can
pass is a list of Extensions.
Extensions
must be available as python modules either within the
markdown.extensions
package or on your PYTHONPATH with names starting with mdx_,
followed by the
name of the extension. Thus, extensions=['footnotes'] will
first look for
the module markdown.extensions.footnotes,
then a module named
mdx_footnotes. See the documentation specific to the
extension you are
using for help in specifying configuration settings for that
extension.

I put the folder "extensions" to ~/bin/python/ such that my PYTHONPATH is the following

export PYTHONPATH=/Users/masi/bin/python/:/opt/local/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.6/

The instructions say that I need to import the addons such that

import markdown
import <module-name>

However, I cannot see any module in my Python. This suggests me that the extensions are not available as "python modules – – on [my] PYTHONPATH with names starting with mdx_ – -."

How can you get Markdown's extensions to work?

2nd attempt

I run at ~/bin/markdown

git clone git://gitorious.org/python-markdown/mainline.git python-markdown
cd python-markdown
python setup.py install

I put the folder /Users/masi/bin/markdown/python-markdown/build to my PATH because the installation message suggests me that is the new location of the extensions.

I have the following in a test markdown -document

[TOC]
-- headings here with # -format ---

However, I do not get the table of contents.
This suggests me that we need to somehow activate the extensions when we compile by the markdown.py -script. **The problem returns to my first quoted text which I is rather confusing to me.

Best Answer

I like to setup a virtualenv when I use python for any sort of project. So on debian based systems I install pip and virtualenv

sudo aptitude install python-pip python-virtualenv

Then if using python markdown, I would make my virtual environment and use pip to install python-markdown and ElementTree

virtualenv mynewbook
pip -E mynewbook install -U Markdown ElementTree

To make life easier I usually set my environment to the local virtual environment after changing to the new project directory

cd mynewbook
source bin/activate

Then with my book in the file mybook.markdown with the format

[TOC]

Heading-a
==========

---text---

Heading-b
------------

I just have to run

markdown mybook.markdown -f mybook.html -x toc

When you're done with your virtual environment it's as simple as typing

deactivate

Related Solutions

The suggested way to handle pip(easy_install) with homebrew

Maybe it is time to consider using virtualenv. Virtualenv creates self-contained python environments using the python version you specify. After activating the new virtual environment, everything you install using pip goes under that environment. This helps avoid situations like the one you described.

E.g. create and activate a new python environment using the default python:

# create environment
$ virtualenv --distribute myproject
New python executable in myproject/bin/python
Installing distribute...done.
Installing pip...done.

# activate environment
$ . ./myproject/bin/activate

# check default python
(myproject)$ which python
/Users/me/myproject/bin/python

It is suggested to use the --distribute options to indicate that distribute should be used for installing packages in the new environment instead of (the older) setuptools. After activation your command prompt changes to indicate which python environment is active.

Now install some package. The files will go into myproject directory:

# install django
(myproject)$ pip install django
...

# search for django dir
(myproject)$ find myproject -iname django
myproject/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django

Finally, deactivate:

# deactivate and check for default python
(myproject)$ deactivate
$ which python
/usr/bin/python

To create an environment using a non-default version of python:

$ virtualenv --distribute -p /path/to/custom/python mynewproject

By default virtualenv will copy to the new environment any packages installed for the python version you use to bootstrap it. To prevent this and create an empty environment use the --no-site-packages option. This is especially useful to create environments which can be exactly replicated e.g. from development to production.

Update: As of version 1.7 --no-site-packages has become the default behaviour of virtualenv.

If you want more details, there are plenty of tutorials and blog posts online. E.g.:

Notes on using pip and virtualenv with Django. (most of the post is not django-specific)
Working with virtualenv.

Give it a try and I'm sure you'll stick with it.

Note: Make sure that your executable scripts do not have the python interpreter hardcoded. I.e. their first line should be #!/usr/bin/env python and not something like #!/usr/bin/python.

Linux – How to make python modules available to all users

I strongly recommend avoid using python-pip on production context. Modules installed that way aren't updated during system updates which may lead to vulnerabilities that never get patched ....

Nevertheless, pip, by default, install the module only in calling user's $HOME. For pip to install "system-wide", use the --system switch.

For more details, see pip install --help output

EDIT --system looks to be a debian specific option.

binarym@avalon:/tmp/python-pip-18.1/debian/patches$ grep -- '--system' *
set_user_default.patch:+:ref:`--system <install_--system>` option to ``pip install``.
set_user_default.patch:+            '--system',

Thanks @co2f2e for your comment.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

The suggested way to handle pip(easy_install) with homebrew

Linux – How to make python modules available to all users

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