1) Introduction

We'll be using Python frequently in class, and it'll save lots of time if everyone has this installed and is familiar how to open, edit, and run a script (which is just a text file) using Python.

Furthermore, we'll be using IDLE, Python's own IDE (Integrated Development Environment). The workshop does not rely on any of IDLE's specific features, but it makes setting up Python much easier and provides a multi-platform basis for examples.

2) Create a Folder for Workshop Files

Create a folder for all your python code and other files. If using Windows, create a folder at C:\Documents and Settings\MY_USERNAME\My Documents\workshop (Windows). For Mac users, create this folder at ~/workshop (Mac/Linux). This folder you created is referred to generically as WORKSHOP below.

3) Install Python (and IDLE)

We will be using version 3.4.3 of Python in this class.

Windows

Python and IDLE are not installed by default.

• Browse to http://www.python.org/download.
• Look for the Windows downloads, choose the one appropriate for your architecture (32-bit or 64-bit). Unless your computer is very old, your best bet is downloading the 64-bit version. The download links are below:
  • 32-bit: Python 3.4.3 Windows Installer
  • 64-bit: Python 3.4.3 Windows X86-64 Installer
• Run the installer and click through the prompts. Default options are fine, except when you get to the "Customize Python 3.4.3" window. See the images for a guide. There will be an option "Add python.exe to Path" that is unselected. Make sure to select it and change the option to "Entire feature will be installed on local hard drive." Note that IDLE will be installed too, by default.
  

IDLE (Python GUI) and Python (command line) should now by in your program menu, under Python 3.4, and Python will be associated with .py files. However they're going to need to know about the files we create during the workshop. This is easiest if we start IDLE from the WORKSHOP folder itself. Let's create a Windows script, idle.bat that does that:

• Open up a text editor like Notepad.
• Enter the single line:

  C:\Python34\Lib\idlelib\idle.bat
  

• Save the file into your WORKSHOP directory. Make sure you select "All Files" for "Save as type:".
• Close the file.

You should now be able to double-click idle.bat to open IDLE.

Mac

Python and IDLE are both installed by default on recent Macs, but they are older versions. Follow these instructions for a Mac binary install, or install from source, using the instructions further down the page.

• Browse to http://www.python.org/download.
• Look for the Mac download, choose the one appropriate for your OS X version. If you don't know the system architecture, try running uname -a in Terminal.app. At the time of writing, the choices are:
  • Mac OS X 10.6:  Python 3.4.3 Mac OS X 10.6
  • Mac OS X 10.5: Python 3.4.3 Mac OS X 10.5
• Run the installer and click through the prompts. Default options are usually just fine. This installs IDLE3, too, by default.

We're going to want to launch IDLE from within the WORKSHOP directory. This should work by default. Open up Terminal.app from the Applications menu, and type:

cd WORKSHOP

Where WORKSHOP is replaced by the directory you chose to use for the workshop. Now type:

idle3 &

and hit ENTER to launch IDLE.

Linux

Note: Please ask a TA for help in updating to the most recent python version; these instructions are for an older version.

Python is installed by default, but sometimes IDLE is not. Either install IDLE using your distro's package manager, e.g. apt-get install idle (Ubuntu/Debian/etc.), yum install python26-tools (RHEL/CentOS/etc.), USE=tk emerge -avn python (Gentoo), etc., or install new version of Python from source (which will include IDLE).

Launching IDLE from the WORKSHOP directory will be the same as for the Mac case above (just use your favorite terminal instead of Terminal.app).

4) Try IDLE

You should now have an IDLE session open that looks something like this:

This is where we'll pick up the workshop. If you're feeling ambitious, try creating a Python script by clicking File -> New Window, which will open a text editor window, and enter the following line:

Click File -> Save and enter hw.py for the filename. Then click Run -> Run Module to run the script:

You have now written and run a Python script.