
Registering with the Package Index
**********************************

The Python Package Index (PyPI) holds meta-data describing
distributions packaged with distutils. The distutils command
**register** is used to submit your distribution's meta-data to the
index. It is invoked as follows:

   python setup.py register

Distutils will respond with the following prompt:

   running register
   We need to know who you are, so please choose either:
       1. use your existing login,
       2. register as a new user,
       3. have the server generate a new password for you (and email it to you), or
       4. quit
   Your selection [default 1]:

Note: if your username and password are saved locally, you will not
see this menu.

If you have not registered with PyPI, then you will need to do so now.
You should choose option 2, and enter your details as required. Soon
after submitting your details, you will receive an email which will be
used to confirm your registration.

Once you are registered, you may choose option 1 from the menu. You
will be prompted for your PyPI username and password, and **register**
will then submit your meta-data to the index.

You may submit any number of versions of your distribution to the
index. If you alter the meta-data for a particular version, you may
submit it again and the index will be updated.

PyPI holds a record for each (name, version) combination submitted.
The first user to submit information for a given name is designated
the Owner of that name. They may submit changes through the
**register** command or through the web interface. They may also
designate other users as Owners or Maintainers. Maintainers may edit
the package information, but not designate other Owners or
Maintainers.

By default PyPI will list all versions of a given package. To hide
certain versions, the Hidden property should be set to yes. This must
be edited through the web interface.


The .pypirc file
================

The format of the ``.pypirc`` file is as follows:

   [distutils]
   index-servers =
       pypi

   [pypi]
   repository: <repository-url>
   username: <username>
   password: <password>

The *distutils* section defines a *index-servers* variable that lists
the name of all sections describing a repository.

Each section describing a repository defines three variables:

* *repository*, that defines the url of the PyPI server. Defaults to
     ``http://www.python.org/pypi``.

* *username*, which is the registered username on the PyPI server.

* *password*, that will be used to authenticate. If omitted the user
     will be prompt to type it when needed.

If you want to define another server a new section can be created and
listed in the *index-servers* variable:

   [distutils]
   index-servers =
       pypi
       other

   [pypi]
   repository: <repository-url>
   username: <username>
   password: <password>

   [other]
   repository: http://example.com/pypi
   username: <username>
   password: <password>

**register** can then be called with the -r option to point the
repository to work with:

   python setup.py register -r http://example.com/pypi

For convenience, the name of the section that describes the repository
may also be used:

   python setup.py register -r other
