title: HOWTO: Install python2.x within virtualenv?
body: <blockquote>
    <p><strong>Possible Duplicate:</strong><br>
    <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/5506110/python-it-is-possible-to-install-another-version-of-python-to-virtualenv">Python - It is possible to install another version of Python to Virtualenv?</a>  </p>
  </blockquote>
  
  
  
  <p>Within my (virtualenv activated) env folder, it appears as though the python2.7 folder has symlinks to <strong>absolute paths</strong> for my system python installation.  </p>
  
  <p>This is not ideal.  </p>
  
  <p><em>Even when I install from a local path, and use virtualenv to set and environment in a folder <code>env</code>, the paths to Python are absolute, and a dependency on the OS environment is established.  I want to rid this dependency and make the python interpreter, as well as all software relying upon it, completely independent.</em></p>
  
  <p>Let's imagine that I want python2.6 to be included IN the env tree as a STAND-ALONE installation without symlinks to my system folders.</p>
  
  <p>How does one accomplish this feat of extraordinary non-linkage?</p>
  
  <pre><code>$ &gt; pwd 
  /Users/foo/development/v1/bar/env
  (env)
  $ &gt; ls -l lib/python2.7/
  total 920
  lrwxr-xr-x  1 foo  staff     82 Oct 15 16:48 UserDict.py -&gt; /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/UserDict.py
  ...
  lrwxr-xr-x  1 foo  staff     85 Oct 15 16:48 _weakrefset.py -&gt; /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/_weakrefset.py
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Thank you for your help.</p>
  
  <p>EDIT:  Moreover, it will be most ideal to have the virtualenv (including the local python install) relocatable.</p>