Note: If a binary distribution of KInterbasDB (e.g., a Windows executable installer) is not available for your platform, you will need to install the source distribution instead.
KInterbasDB requires a valid combination of the dependencies in the list below.
Detailed instructions on how to install each dependency are beyond the scope of this document; consult the dependency distributor for installation instructions.
Satisfying the dependencies is not difficult! For mainstream operating systems--including Windows and Linux--easily installable binary distributions are available for all of KInterbasDB's dependencies (see the download links below).
By default, KInterbasDB uses the DateTime module of the
eGenix.com mx Extensions to represent date and time values,
as recommended by the
Python DB API Specification.
However, it is not strictly necessary to use the mx.DateTime
module to handle dates and times.
See this FAQ.
Once you have successfully installed the dependencies, you may proceed with the installation of KInterbasDB itself.
Binary distributions of KInterbasDB for Windows come in the form of a conventional executable installer. Just invoke the installer and follow the wizard prompts.
Because KInterbasDB is compatible with numerous versions of Python and Interbase®/Firebird, you must choose a binary distribution that matches both your Python version and your database client library version. There are currently two sets of Windows binary distributions of KInterbasDB; each set offers two files, one for each of Python 2.3 and 2.4:
kinterbasdb-V.V.win32-FB-1.0-pyV.V.exegds32.dll included with
Interbase®, Firebird 1.0, or Firebird 1.5.
kinterbasdb-V.V.win32-FB-1.5+2.0-pyV.V.exefbclient.dll client library included with
Firebird 1.5 and 2.x.gds32.dll-dependent distribution will also
work with Firebird 1.5, this distribution is preferable because
Firebird 1.5's gds32.dll is just a proxy for
fbclient.dll.
Also available is a file called
kinterbasdb-V.V.win32-all_binaries_pack.zip,
which includes the binary .pyd files from all binary
Windows distributions of KInterbasDB listed above.
The Python programmer can manually extract the required binaries from this
"binary pack", which makes it easier to use KInterbasDB with Python
installations that are not listed in the Windows registry, such as the Python
distribution included with the binary distribution of Zope for Windows.
Currently, Linux users must install the source distribution instead. The source distribution will probably also install (and function) on most other POSIX-compliant Unix variants, as long as all of the dependencies are also installed and functional.
Because the KInterbasDB source distribution supports the
standard Python package installation facility
(distutils),
installing the source distribution on a typical Linux system is downright
easy.
KInterbasDB has an extensive test suite (snapshots here), but it is not really intended for routine public use.
To verify that KInterbasDB is installed properly, open a command prompt and
issue the following command:
python -c "import kinterbasdb as k; print k.__version__"
If the import attempt does not encounter any errors and the version number is what you expected, you are finished. Next, consider reading the KInterbasDB Usage Guide.
You should not encounter any errors at this stage since you have already completed the compilation and installation steps successfully. If you do, please report them to the KInterbasDB Forum.