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+README for the eric4 IDE
+
+ Installation
+
+ Installing eric4 is a simple process. Just execute the install.py script
+ (type python install.py -h for some help). Please note that the installation
+ has to be performed using the administrators account (i.e. root on linux).
+ This installs a wrapper script in the standard executable directory
+ (default: /usr/local/bin on linux) called eric4.
+
+ If you want to uninstall the package just execute the uninstall script. This
+ gets rid of all installed files. In this case please send an email to the
+ below mentioned address and tell me your reason. This might give me a hint on
+ how to improve eric4.
+
+ If the required packages (Qt4, QScintilla2, sip and PyQt4) are not installed,
+ please get them and install them in the following order (order is important).
+
+ 1. Install Qt4
+
+ 2. Build and install sip
+
+ 3. Build and install QScintilla2
+
+ 4. Build and install PyQt4
+
+ 5. Build and install QScintilla2 Python bindings
+
+ 6. Install eric4
+
+ If you want to use the interfaces to other supported software packages, you may
+ install them in any order and at any time.
+
+ Installation of translations
+
+ Translations of the eric4 IDE are available as separate downloads. There
+ are two ways to install them.
+
+ The first possibility is to install them together with eric4. In order
+ to do that, simply extract the downloaded archives into the same place
+ as the eric4 archive and follow the installation instructions above.
+
+ The second possibility is to install them separately. Extract the
+ downloaded archives and execute the install-i18n.py script (type
+ python install-i18n.py -h for some help). This way you can make the
+ translations available to everybody or just to the user executing the
+ installation command (if using the -p switch).
+
+ Running
+
+ Just call up eric4, which will start the IDE. Use the "what is"-help
+ (arrow with ?) to get some help. Sorry, there is no documentation yet.
+ To start the unit test module in a standalone variant simply call up
+ eric4-unittest. This will show the same dialog (though with a little bit less
+ functionality) as if started from within eric4. The helpviewer can be
+ started as a standalone program by executing the eric4-helpviewer script.
+
+ Please note, the first time you start eric4 it will recognize, that it
+ hasn't been configured yet and will show the configuration dialog.
+ Please take your time and go through all the configuration items.
+ However, every configuration option has a meaningful default value.
+
+ Tray starter
+
+ eric4 comes with a little utility called "eric4-tray". This embeds an icon
+ in the system tray, which contains a context menu to start eric4 and all
+ it's utilities. Double clicking this icon starts the eric4 IDE.
+
+ Autocompletion/Calltips
+
+ eric4 provides an interface to the QScintilla auto-completion and calltips
+ functionality. QScintilla2 comes with API files for Python and itself. PyQt4
+ contains an API file as well. These are installed by default, if the correct
+ installation order (see above) is followed. An API file for eric4 is
+ installed in the same place.
+
+ In order to use autocompletion and calltips in eric4 please configure these
+ functions in the "Preferences Dialog" on the "Editor -> APIs",
+ "Editor -> Autocompletion" and "Editor -> Calltips" pages.
+
+ Remote Debugger
+
+ In order to enable the remote debugger start eric4, open the preferences
+ dialog and configure the settings on the debugger pages.
+
+ The remote login must be possible without any further interaction (i.e.
+ no password prompt). If the remote setup differs from the local one you
+ must configure the Python interpreter and the Debug Client to be used
+ in the Preferences dialog. eric4 includes two different versions of the
+ debug client. DebugClient.py is the traditional debugger and
+ DebugClientThreads is a multithreading variant of the debug client.
+ Please copy all needed files to a place accessible through the Python path
+ of the remote machine and set the entries of the a.m. configuration tab
+ accordingly.
+
+ Passive Debugging
+
+ Passive debugging mode allows the startup of the debugger from outside
+ of the IDE. The IDE waits for a connection attempt. For further details
+ see the file README-passive-debugging.txt
+
+ Plugin System
+
+ eric4 contains a plugin system, that is used to extend eric4's
+ functionality. Some plugins are part of eric4. Additional plugins
+ are available via the Internet. Please use the built in plug-in
+ repository dialog to get a list of available (official) plugins
+ and to download them. For more details about the plug-in system
+ please see the documentation area.
+
+ Interfaces to additional software packages
+
+ At the moment eric4 provides interfaces to the following software
+ packages.
+
+ Qt-Designer
+ This is part of the Qt distribution and is used to generate user
+ interfaces.
+
+ Qt-Linguist
+ This is part of the Qt distribution and is used to generate translations.
+
+ Qt-Assistant
+ This is part of the Qt distribution and may be used to display help files.
+
+ Subversion
+ This is another version control system available from
+ <subversion.tigris.org>. It is meant to be the successor of CVS.
+ Eric4 supports two different Subversion interfaces. One is using
+ the svn command line tool, the other is using the PySvn Python
+ interface <pysvn.tigris.org>. The selection is done automatically
+ depending on the installed software. The PySvn interface is prefered.
+ This automatism can be overridden an a per project basis using
+ the "User Properties" dialog.
+
+ coverage.py
+ This is a tool to check Python code coverage. A slightly modified
+ version is part of the eric4 distribution. The original version is
+ available from <www.nedbatchelder.com/code/modules/coverage.html>
+
+ tabnanny
+ This is a tool to check Python code for white-space related problems. It
+ is part of the standard Python installation.
+
+ profile
+ This is part of the standard Python distribution and is used to profile
+ Python source code.
+
+ cyclops
+ This is a tool to detect variable cycles which can cause the garbage
+ collector being unable to do his job.
+
+ Interfaces to additional software packages via plugins
+
+ Some of the interfaces provided as plugins are as follows.
+
+ CVS
+ This is a version control system available from <www.cvshome.org>.
+
+ pylint
+ This is a tool to check the source code according to various rules.
+ It is available from <http://www.logilab.org/projects/pylint>.
+
+ cx_Freeze
+ This is a tool for packaging Python programs. It is available from
+ <http://starship.python.net/crew/atuining/cx_Freeze>
+
+ Internationalization
+
+ eric4 and it's tools are prepared to show the UI in different
+ languages, which can be configured via the preferences dialog. The Qt and
+ QScintilla translations are searched in the translations directory given
+ in the preferences dialog (Qt page). If the translations cannot be found,
+ some part of the MMI might show English texts even if you have selected
+ something else. If you are missing eric4 translations for your language
+ and are willing to volunteer for this work please send me an email naming
+ the country code and I will send you the respective Qt-Linguist file.
+
+ Window Layout
+
+ eric4 provides different window layouts. In these layouts, the shell window
+ and the file browser may be embedded or be separat windows. The first layout
+ uses dock windows and the last one provides independant windows.
+
+ Source code documentation
+
+ eric4 has a built in source code documentation generator, which is
+ usable via the commandline as well. For further details please see
+ the file README-eric4-doc.txt
+
+ License
+
+ eric4 (and the others) is released under the conditions of the GPL. See
+ separate license file for more details. Third party software included in
+ eric4 is released under their respective license and contained in the
+ eric4 distribution for convenience.
+
+ Bugs and other reports
+
+ Please send bug reports, feature requests or contributions to eric bugs address.
+ After the IDE is installed you can use the "Report Bug..." entry of the Help menu.
+ This will send a message to <eric4-bugs@die-offenbachs.de>
