pdorrell / localenv

What is localenv?
-----------------

This project is an example of a "localenv" Python module, for storing 
private configuration details that are used by various Python 
applications.

It's kind of a mini-registry.

See the accompanying file test.py for example useage.

Security Issues
---------------
You might want to not expose the localenv details to "untrusted"
Python code. I put "untrusted" in quotes, because if you are running Python
code, then it has access to your full system anyway. But
one can think of situations where you don't want to make it _too_
easy for applications to find and read your private data.

One way to hide localenv by default is to _not_ add the localenv module to your
standard PYTHONPATH environment variable. For example, on Windows, 
invoke the following code when you want to run a Python script with localenv enabled:

env.exe PYTHONPATH=%PYTHONPATH%;%PYTHON_LOCALENV_PATH% C:\Python25\python.exe test.py

where %PYTHON_LOCALENV_PATH% is the location of the localenv module, and env.exe is from 
Cygwin (or MSys).

Other Implementations
---------------------

Given that Python effectively allows over-riding of the "." (dot) operator, the concept
of "localenv" can be implemented in any number of ways.



Philip Dorrell, http://www.1729.com/, 2 June 2008.