Python Requirements
===================

The standard Python modules and libraries are required to run Python. However,
they must be Python version 2.3 (including all versions of 2.3) or lower
because the MULTI Python interpreter is built on the Python 2.3.3 release. Many
changes, including syntax extensions, were incorporated into Python 2.4. For
example, the following syntax: 
    from module import (name1, name2)
is newly implemented in Python 2.4 and is used in some popular modules, like
"os.py". In the future, we will integrate with Python 2.4.

Initial tests are complete on Python 2.2.2, 2.3.5, etc. These versions work
well with the integration.

You can provide a Python environment by installing Python and then setting the
environment variables "PYTHONHOME" and "PYTHONPATH". "PYTHONHOME" is the top
directory for the Python installation. "PYTHONPATH" should contain the paths to
search for Python modules. These paths are kept in "sys.path". You can list
them from the Python command line interpreter or from the Python GUI (IDE).

If you are running MULTI on Linux from your MULTI development branch
checkout, and you don't want to install your own Python version, you can check
"python" out from your checkout directory. In this case, make sure that 
"PYTHONHOME" and "PYTHONPATH" are NOT defined in your environment.

Whenever you change these environment variables (including un-defining them),
you must fully shut down all MULTI components for the changes to take effect.
You can use the "File -> Exit All" menu entry in the MULTI Launcher. Restart
the MULTI IDE from the environment (such as xterm) where the information for
the two environment variables is refreshed.