How to run Python egg files directly without installing them?

Question

Is it possible to run Python egg files directly as you can run jar files with Java?

For example, with Java you might dos something like:

$ java -jar jar-file 

Answer 1

A python egg is a "a single-file importable distribution format". Which is typically a python package.

You can import the package in the egg as long as you know it's name and it's in your path.

You can execute a package using the "-m" option and the package name.

However, python packages generally do not do anything when executed, and you may get an error. The -c option can be used to run code. (See http://docs.python.org/using/cmdline.html for details on command line options)

> python -m sphinx sphinx is a package and cannot be directly executed   > python -c "import <package in an egg>; <function>();"    > python -c "import sphinx; print sphinx.package_dir" C:\Python26\lib\site-packages\sphinx-0.6.1-py2.6.egg\sphinx