# [PATCH] Correct references to /usr/bin/python which may not exist on certain systems

2 messages from 2010-03-20 to 2010-03-21. Participants: R. Tyler Ballance, Junio C Hamano.
Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/23115

## R. Tyler Ballance, 2010-03-20 23:51

Subject: [PATCH] Correct references to /usr/bin/python which may not exist on certain systems
Message-ID: <20100320235105.GA30457@kiwi.sharlinx.com>
URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/20100320235105.GA30457%40kiwi.sharlinx.com

```
FreeBSD for example does not ship with a /usr/bin/python such that Python
installed from ports will be located by default in /usr/local/bin
---
 Makefile                           |    2 +-
 contrib/fast-import/import-zips.py |    2 +-
 contrib/hg-to-git/hg-to-git.py     |    2 +-
 contrib/p4import/git-p4import.py   |    2 +-
 git_remote_helpers/Makefile        |    2 +-
 5 files changed, 5 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3a6c6ea..2b248b4 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ ifndef PERL_PATH
 	PERL_PATH = /usr/bin/perl
 endif
 ifndef PYTHON_PATH
-	PYTHON_PATH = /usr/bin/python
+	PYTHON_PATH = /usr/bin/env python
 endif
 
 export PERL_PATH
diff --git a/contrib/fast-import/import-zips.py b/contrib/fast-import/import-zips.py
index 7051a83..82f5ed3 100755
--- a/contrib/fast-import/import-zips.py
+++ b/contrib/fast-import/import-zips.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
+#!/usr/bin/env python
 
 ## zip archive frontend for git-fast-import
 ##
diff --git a/contrib/hg-to-git/hg-to-git.py b/contrib/hg-to-git/hg-to-git.py
index 854cd94..046cb2b 100755
--- a/contrib/hg-to-git/hg-to-git.py
+++ b/contrib/hg-to-git/hg-to-git.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#! /usr/bin/python
+#!/usr/bin/env python
 
 """ hg-to-git.py - A Mercurial to GIT converter
 
diff --git a/contrib/p4import/git-p4import.py b/contrib/p4import/git-p4import.py
index 0f3d97b..b6e534b 100644
--- a/contrib/p4import/git-p4import.py
+++ b/contrib/p4import/git-p4import.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python
+#!/usr/bin/env python
 #
 # This tool is copyright (c) 2006, Sean Estabrooks.
 # It is released under the Gnu Public License, version 2.
diff --git a/git_remote_helpers/Makefile b/git_remote_helpers/Makefile
index c62dfd0..af3cc28 100644
--- a/git_remote_helpers/Makefile
+++ b/git_remote_helpers/Makefile
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ pysetupfile:=setup.py
 DESTDIR_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(DESTDIR))
 
 ifndef PYTHON_PATH
-	PYTHON_PATH = /usr/bin/python
+	PYTHON_PATH = /usr/bin/env python
 endif
 ifndef prefix
 	prefix = $(HOME)
-- 
1.6.4.3

```

## Junio C Hamano, 2010-03-21 01:37

Subject: Re: [PATCH] Correct references to /usr/bin/python which may not exist on certain systems
Message-ID: <7vaau278vf.fsf@alter.siamese.dyndns.org>
URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/7vaau278vf.fsf%40alter.siamese.dyndns.org
In-Reply-To: <20100320235105.GA30457@kiwi.sharlinx.com>

```
"R. Tyler Ballance" <tyler@monkeypox.org> writes:

> FreeBSD for example does not ship with a /usr/bin/python such that Python
> installed from ports will be located by default in /usr/local/bin
> ---
> diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
> index 3a6c6ea..2b248b4 100644
> --- a/Makefile
> +++ b/Makefile
> @@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ ifndef PERL_PATH
>  	PERL_PATH = /usr/bin/perl
>  endif
>  ifndef PYTHON_PATH
> -	PYTHON_PATH = /usr/bin/python
> +	PYTHON_PATH = /usr/bin/env python
>  endif

This wouldn't work very well, as XYZ_PATH is expected to point at full
path to the executable.  You should be able to say:

	test -f '$(XYZ_PATH_SQ)'

Yes, TCL_PATH and TCLTK_PATH may already be broken the same way, but I
don't think we want to make things worse.

I think setting PYTHON_PATH to /usr/local/bin/python inside

	ifeq ($(uname_S),FreeBSD)
        ...
        endif

block would be more in-line with the current design of the Makefile.

> diff --git a/contrib/fast-import/import-zips.py b/contrib/fast-import/import-zips.py
> index 7051a83..82f5ed3 100755
> --- a/contrib/fast-import/import-zips.py
> +++ b/contrib/fast-import/import-zips.py
> @@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
> -#!/usr/bin/python
> +#!/usr/bin/env python

These changes to contrib/ are correct and necessary, as we don't replace
them with Makefile targets like we do for the scripted Porcelains, if
people want to run them directly (or copy them out literally) out of
contrib/ area.  .

```