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Snow Leopard comes packaged with a version of Python 2.6 that is incompatible with many popular libraries, so I've downloaded a version of Python 2.6 from python.org. However, when I type python at the terminal, I still get the old version of Python. How can I change this?

which python currently gives me /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.6/bin/python

ls -l /usr/bin/python is not a symbolic link to the above (nor to Versions/Current).

I have a version at /opt/local/bin/python2.6 that I wish to be using.

Arjan
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coffee
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  • My Snow Leopard shows `python --version` to be `Python 2.6.1`. What version are you trying to install? I also wonder if somehow changing this would also affect commands like xattr, for which `file /usr/bin/xattr` yields `/usr/bin/xattr: python script text executable`? – Arjan Dec 18 '10 at 17:10
  • I have a version at "opt/local/bin/python2.6" that I wish to be using. I am unsure as to how that would affect commands like xattr, though.. – coffee Dec 18 '10 at 17:17
  • Is `/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.6/bin/` listed in your PATH? Like shown by `echo $PATH` (If yes, then changing the PATH might suffice for you.) – Arjan Dec 18 '10 at 19:07
  • @Arjan, Yeah, it is. I haven't even modified the path from the default.. – coffee Dec 18 '10 at 19:17
  • See also [Getting PATH right for python after MacPorts install](http://superuser.com/questions/224744/getting-path-right-for-python-after-macports-install). – Arjan Dec 23 '10 at 10:40

1 Answers1

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I don't know how this will affect other usage† of Python in OS X, but as currently the OS X Python is listed in your PATH, you just need to change that:

I don't know if it matters, but just for the archives: on my OS X 10.6 (which is an upgrade from 10.4 via 10.5), /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.6/bin/ is not listed in PATH. Instead, which python yields /usr/bin/python.

† For example: file /usr/bin/xattr yields /usr/bin/xattr: python script text executable, and hence might be affected by changing the Python executable!

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Arjan
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  • Ah! So looking at ~/.profile, it seems that Macports added that folder to my path. I commented that out, and it is pointing to the correct python version now. Thanks again for all of your help, Arjan. – coffee Dec 18 '10 at 19:36
  • @coffee, what do you mean by "the correct python version"? Taking it out of the PATH will make OS X use `/usr/bin/python`, not your new `/opt/local/bin/python2.6`, right? – Arjan Dec 18 '10 at 19:38
  • nope, it's using the one in /opt/local/bin/... I'm assuming that is listed earlier on the path. – coffee Dec 18 '10 at 19:39