Learning IronPython #2: Installing IronPython

As I write this blog post, there are two options for getting and installing IronPython, depending on whether you have Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 installed or not.

If you do not have Visual Studio 2005 installed, to get IronPython, visit the IronPython site on CodePlex or the IronPython: Workspace Home on GotDotNet. As I write this blog post, the current version of IronPython is 1.0 Beta 7, and it can be downloaded directly from the IronPython 1.0 Beta 7 site at the Microsoft Download Center. I suggest that you unpack the resulting IronPython-1.0-Beta7.zip download file to a directory such as C:\IronPython as I did.

Note that you must install the Microsoft .NET Framework Version 2.0 Redistributable Package before installing IronPython. (I also recommend that you install the Microsoft .NET Framework Software Development Kit (SDK) version 2.0 if you have the bandwidth and free disk space as it adds more power to the types of solutions that you can create.] If you have Visual Studio 2005 installed (except an Express edition), you already have the .NET Framework Version 2.0 Redistributable Package installed, and you have an option as part of Visual Studio 2005 setup to install the .NET Framework SDK version 2.0.

If you have Visual Studio 2005 installed (except an Express edition), you can get a cool integration of IronPython that plugs directly into Visual Studio, including features (at the time that I write this blog post) such as an interactive scripting console, the ability to more easily create Microsoft Windows console-based solutions and Windows Forms-based solutions, and more. These features are included in the Visual Studio 2005 SDK (at the time that I write this blog post, the latest version is Visual Studio 2005 SDK April 2006 V2 RTM, and a Microsoft Passport Network account login is required to download this SDK).

-- Paul

------------------------------------
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.