Prerequisites:

mod_wsgi configured with apache2 ( Installing and configuring mod_wsgi, Installation Issues)

virtualenv

What?

It is a tool for creaing isolated python environments.

Why?

Prevent dependency and version problems when deploying programs with conflicting library requirement.

How?

Download virtualenv

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cd $HOME
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mkdir downloads
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cd downloads
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wget http://pypi.python.org/packages/source/v/virtualenv/virtualenv-1.3.3.tar.gz
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tar xzf virtualenv-1.3.3.tar.gz

creating a virtual environment

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cd $HOME
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mkdir webapps
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cd webapps
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python2.5 ~/downloads/virtualenv-1.3.3/virtualenv.py --no-site-packages djangoapp

The –no-site-packages option prevents it from inheriting packages from global site-packages folder.

What gets created:

Activating virtual environment

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source bin/activate
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(djangoapp)vinod@vinod-laptop:~/webapps/djangoapp$ 

To return to original path

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deactivate

Tutorials on virtualenv:

http://code.google.com/p/modwsgi/wiki/VirtualEnvironments

http://pypi.python.org/pypi/virtualenv

Caution:

The version of Python from which the virtual environment is created must be the same version that mod_wsgi was compiled for.

Installing django

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source bin/activate
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cd ~/downloads
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wget http://www.djangoproject.com/download/1.1/tarball/
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tar xzvf Django-1.1.tar.gz
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cd Django-1.1
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python setup.py install

Try importing django to check if it worked fine.

Start a project

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django-admin.py startproject testproject
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sudo vi testproject.wsgi

testproject.wsgi content

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import os, sys
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sys.path = ['/home/vinod/webapps/djangoapp', '/home/vinod/webapps/djangoapp/lib/python2.5/site-packages'] + sys.path
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os.environ['DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE'] = 'testproject.settings'
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os.environ['PYTHON_EGG_CACHE'] = '/home/vinod/webapps/djangoapp/tmp/.python_eggs'
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import django.core.handlers.wsgi
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application = django.core.handlers.wsgi.WSGIHandler()

create the directory tmp/.python_eggs for python egg cache

make testproject.wsgi executable

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chmod +x testproject.wsgi

enabling website in apache

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cd /etc/apache2/sites-available
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sudo vi djangosite

djangosite content

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Listen 81 
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NameVirtualHost *:81 
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<VirtualHost *:81>  
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     ServerAdmin webmaster@localhost 
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     DocumentRoot /home/vinod/webapps/djangoapp
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    <Directory />  
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           Options FollowSymLinks +ExecCGI
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           AllowOverride None 
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    </Directory>  
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    <IfModule mod_alias.c>
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            Alias /static /home/vinod/webapps/djangoapp/static
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    </IfModule>
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    <IfModule mod_wsgi.c>
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       # See the link below for an introduction about this mod_wsgi config.
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       # http://groups.google.com/group/modwsgi/browse_thread/thread/60cb0ec3041ac1bc/2c547b701c4d74aa
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       WSGIScriptAlias / /home/vinod/webapps/djangoapp/testproject.wsgi
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       WSGIDaemonProcess vinod processes=7 threads=1 display-name=%{GROUP}
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       WSGIProcessGroup vinod
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       WSGIApplicationGroup %{GLOBAL}
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    </IfModule>
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    ErrorLog /home/vinod/webapps/djangoapp/log/error.log
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    LogLevel warn 
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    CustomLog /home/vinod/webapps/djangoapp/log/access.log combined 
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    ServerSignature On
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</VirtualHost>
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create the folder log and access.log and error.log inside it. We mentioned both of them in ErrorLog and CustomLog in above configuration file

enable website

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sudo a2ensite djangosite

http://localhost:81

It worked!
Congratulations on your first Django-powered page.

If the success page is not available, check apache error.log file .

Resources:
http://pypi.python.org/pypi/virtualenv
http://www.danceric.net/2009/03/26/django-virtualenv-and-mod_wsgi/
http://plone.org/documentation/tutorial/install-plone-3-behind-apache-and-mod_wsgi-using-repoze/tutorial-all-pages
http://code.google.com/p/modwsgi/wiki/IntegrationWithDjango
http://wiki.dreamhost.com/Python
http://wiki.pylonshq.com/display/pylonscookbook/Using+a+Virtualenv+Sandbox

wget http://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.5.2/Python-2.5.2.tgz
tar fxz Python-2.5.2.tgz
cd Python-2.5.2
./configure
make
sudo make altinstall

ln -s /usr/local/bin/python2.5 /usr/bin/python2.5

wget http://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.0/Python-3.0.tgz
tar fxz Python-3.0.tgz
cd Python-3.0
./configure
make
make altinstall

ln -s /usr/local/bin/python3.0 /usr/bin/python3.0

Installing ubuntu 9.04 on vaio:

Linux isn’t just Windows with funny colours, and Windows isn’t a poor man’s Linux. Both represent decades of hard work by people with different opinions about the world, and both need to be treated differently if you want to get the most out of them.

From Switching to Ubuntu from Windows

Prerequisites:

Download the iso image of Ubuntu 9.04 and burn it to a blank CD.  I created a seperate partition for linux installation. Other option is to use free space in existing partition. We will use EasyBCD to modify windows bootloader.

Boot using the Live CD and start the installer.

Step 1:

Select installation language and default language for system.

Step 2:

Select timezone.

Step 3:

Select keyboard layout.

Step 4:

I manually created the partitions.

Step 5:

Little login information

Step 6:

I already have vista installed. It detected the settings and offered for migration.

Step 7:

I installed the boot loader in the same partition where linux is installed. Otherwise, it will rewrite the windows master boot records. We will modify windows bootloader to add entry for Ubuntu.  The bootloader option is available on clicking the advanced.. option. partion #8 will be /dev/sda8

Installer will start copying files now.

Once the installation is completed, remove the Live CD and restart in Vista.  Ubuntu option is yet to be added in boot records.

Download EasyBCD to modify the windows MBR

Restart and the Ubuntu will be avaliable in boot menu.

Windows drives are available in Ubuntu. But, if you want to access linux partition when in Vista, you need to install Total Commander will ext2/ext3 plugin. I tried installing other softwares, but none of them working as of now for my Vista installation and ext3 partition. Keep in mind, installing a software for accessing linux partition will weaken the security as no linux based access controls are applied here.