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# Installation

## Downloading

You can get the latest release of the SIP source code from http://www.riverbankcomputing.com/software/sip/download.

SIP is also included with all of the major Linux distributions. However, it may be a version or two out of date.

## Configuring

After unpacking the source package (either a `.tar.gz` or a `.zip` file depending on your platform) you should then check for any `README` files that relate to your platform.

Next you need to configure SIP by executing the `configure.py` script. For example:

    python configure.py

This assumes that the Python interpreter is on your path. Something like the following may be appropriate on Windows:

    c:\python26\python configure.py

If you have multiple versions of Python installed then make sure you use the interpreter for which you wish SIP to generate bindings for.

The full set of command line options is:

`--version```
  Display the SIP version number.

`-h````,` `--help```
  Display a help message.

`--arch``<ARCH>`
  Binaries for the MacOS/X architecture `<ARCH>` will be built. This option should be given once for each architecture to be built. Specifying more than one architecture will cause a universal binary to be created.

`-b``<DIR>``,` `--bindir``<DIR>`
  The SIP code generator will be installed in the directory `<DIR>`.

`-d``<DIR>``,` `--destdir``<DIR>`
  The SIP module will be installed in the directory `<DIR>`.

`-e``<DIR>``,` `--incdir``<DIR>`
  The SIP header file will be installed in the directory `<DIR>`.

`-k````,` `--static```
  The SIP module will be built as a static library. This is useful when building the SIP module as a Python builtin (see Builtin Modules and Custom Interpreters).

`-n````,` `--universal```
  The SIP code generator and module will be built as universal binaries under MacOS/X. If the --arch option has not been specified then the universal binary will include the `i386` and `ppc` architectures.

`-p``<PLATFORM>``,` `--platform``<PLATFORM>`
  Explicitly specify the platform/compiler to be used by the build system, otherwise a platform specific default will be used. The --show-platforms option will display all the supported platform/compilers.

`-s``<SDK>``,` `--sdk``<SDK>`
  If the --universal option was given then this specifies the name of the SDK directory. If a path is not given then it is assumed to be a sub-directory of `/Developer/SDKs`.

`-u````,` `--debug```
  The SIP module will be built with debugging symbols.

`-v``<DIR>``,` `--sipdir``<DIR>`
  By default `.sip` files will be installed in the directory `<DIR>`.

`--show-platforms```
  The list of all supported platform/compilers will be displayed.

`--show-build-macros```
  The list of all available build macros will be displayed.

The `configure.py` script takes many other options that allows the build system to be finely tuned. These are of the form `name=value` or `name+=value`. The --show-build-macros option will display each supported `name`, although not all are applicable to all platforms.

The `name=value` form means that `value` will replace the existing value of `name`.

The `name+=value` form means that `value` will be appended to the existing value of `name`.

For example, the following will disable support for C++ exceptions (and so reduce the size of module binaries) when used with GCC:

    python configure.py CXXFLAGS+=-fno-exceptions

A pure Python module called `sipconfig.py` is generated by `configure.py`. This defines each `name` and its corresponding `value`. Looking at it will give you a good idea of how the build system uses the different options. It is covered in detail in The Build System.

### Configuring for MinGW

SIP, and the modules it generates, can be built with MinGW, the Windows port of GCC. You must use the --platform command line option to specify the correct platform. For example:

    c:\python26\python configure.py --platform win32-g++

### Configuring for the Borland C++ Compiler

SIP, and the modules it generates, can be built with the free Borland C++ compiler. You must use the --platform command line option to specify the correct platform. For example:

    c:\python26\python configure.py --platform win32-borland

You must also make sure you have a Borland-compatible version of the Python library. If you are using the standard Python distribution (built using the Microsoft compiler) then you must convert the format of the Python library. For example:

    coff2omf python26.lib python26_bcpp.lib

## Building

The next step is to build SIP by running your platform’s `make` command. For example:

    make

The final step is to install SIP by running the following command:

    make install

(Depending on your system you may require root or administrator privileges.)

This will install the various SIP components.

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