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Setting up Python

start

You want to program with Python and need help setting it up

goals

You will have a working Python setup on Windows (notes for Linux and Mac included)

Obtaining Python

Depending on your platform your first task might be to get Python installed. On Windows you can download the installer from the python.org download page. Python does not normally come pre-installed on Windows machines (at least - Microsoft doesn't install it by default!).

Macs have Python built-in and most Linux installs also have it pre-installed.

There are several flavours of Python that you could install for Windows. Take a look at the following video to see the main ones. Generally I just suggest going to python.org and getting their installer and then building up your packages but, if you're doing science, the scipy.org ones are a good place to start (as everything's pre-installed for you).

Deciding on a Python 2.5 Distro

Deciding on a Python 2.5 Distro

by Ian Ozsvald added 03/07
Your first task is to pick the right Python distribution. At Python.org you can get the latest and greatest Python 2.5, with SciPy you get a math-oriented v2.5 and with ActivePython you get a complete but older v2.4 [edit March 2008 - ActivePython's distribution is now at Python 2.5 as well]. Watch the video to learn which is the right one for you. Here are the distros: Python.org SciPy ActiveP [...]

To test if you have it, open a command prompt and type 'python' - if it runs (on Mac/Linux) then you already have it. If you don't you'll have to look further afield - do leave a comment below if you find a useful tutorial and we can include the information here.

Installing Python

Python for Windows

This video will give you an idea of how to install Python if you're using the stock installer from python.org. The other packages (scipy's and ActiveState's) have Windows installer packages and they're easy to follow.

Running Python 2.5 on Windows XP

Running Python 2.5 on Windows XP

by Ian Ozsvald added 03/07
Here we install and test Python 2.5 from Python.org (download here). I cover how to start Python from the Start Menu and writing your first (Hello World) line of Python code. At the end of this video you'll know how to start and finish with Python and you'll be ready to check-out the on-line tutorial via the Python.org doc pages and Mark pilgrim's on-line book Dive Into Python. You will also be r [...]

If you installed Python using just the python.org installer (and possibly if you've used the other installers too) you will probably need to add python to the DOS path, this will show you how.

Adding Python to DOS Path

Adding Python to DOS Path

by Ian Ozsvald added 06/07
Python is not added to the DOS path by default. If you run 'python' from the command line you'll receive this error message: 'python' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file. Here I show you how to add ';c:\python25;c:\python25\scripts' to the System Path allowing Python to be executed from the command line for all users.

Python for Mac

Python has been installed on Macs for a while, if you open a command prompt and type 'python' you should get the shell without any further work.

Python for Linux

Most Linux distributions (e.g. Ubuntu, RedHat) come with python pre-installed. If you can't get 'python' to run at the command line you'll have to consult your documentation - generally it is a matter of finding a one-line installer that will set it all up for you.

Getting easy_install

You'll also want easy_install - it is a command-line tool that makes it really (really!) easy to install new Python packages. This video shows you how to set it up on Windows, you can follow similar steps to get it working on Macs and Linux too.

Installing easy_install with ez_setup.py

Installing easy_install with ez_setup.py

by Ian Ozsvald added 03/08
Here we install easy_install using ez_setup.py (linked on the easy_install page). easy_install lets you install many python packages using a 1-line install command - just like using apt-get or rpms on Linux. On Windows you might need to setup your DOS path - see Adding Python to DOS Path.

And Now...

To continue your education, take a look here:

Beginner Python Programming

by Ian Ozsvald and Horst Jens and Lucas Holland and gasto and John Montgomery and Kyran Dale and Jeff Rush and André Roberge added 04/09
How to read and write simply Python programs and running them

The RST-script for this Learning-path

The script below was used to generate the learning-path page above. 

===========================================================
Setting up Python
===========================================================

.. authors::  71 79 3253 11 8 709        

.. contents::

start
=====
You want to program with Python and need help setting it up

goals
=====
You will have a working Python setup on Windows (notes for Linux and Mac included)

Obtaining Python
================

Depending on your platform your first task might be to get Python installed.  On Windows you can download the installer from the python.org `download <http://python.org/download/>`_ page.  Python does not normally come pre-installed on Windows machines (at least - Microsoft doesn't install it by default!).

Macs have Python built-in and most Linux installs also have it pre-installed.

There are several flavours of Python that you could install for Windows.  Take a look at the following video to see the main ones.  Generally I just suggest going to python.org and getting their installer and then building up your packages but, if you're doing science, the `scipy.org <http://scipy.org/>`_ ones are a good place to start (as everything's pre-installed for you).

.. video:: 136

To test if you have it, open a command prompt and type 'python' - if it runs (on Mac/Linux) then you already have it.  If you don't you'll have to look further afield - do leave a comment below if you find a useful tutorial and we can include the information here.

Installing Python
=================

Python for Windows
------------------

This video will give you an idea of how to install Python if you're using the stock installer from python.org.  The other packages (scipy's and ActiveState's) have Windows installer packages and they're easy to follow.
    
.. video:: 137

If you installed Python using just the python.org installer (and possibly if you've used the other installers too) you will probably need to add python to the DOS path, this will show you how.

.. video:: 294

Python for Mac
--------------

Python has been installed on Macs for a while, if you open a command prompt and type 'python' you should get the shell without any further work.

Python for Linux
----------------

Most Linux distributions (e.g. Ubuntu, RedHat) come with python pre-installed.  If you can't get 'python' to run at the command line you'll have to consult your documentation - generally it is a matter of finding a one-line installer that will set it all up for you.

Getting easy_install
====================

You'll also want easy_install - it is a command-line tool that makes it really (really!) easy to install new Python packages.  This video shows you how to set it up on Windows, you can follow similar steps to get it working on Macs and Linux too.

.. video:: 591

And Now...
==========

To continue your education, take a look here:

.. path:: 11

Thank-yous, questions and comments

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Show some quick comments >>








All comments excluding tick-boxed quick-comments

18. peacengell Tue, 24 Jan 2012 07:11

nice tutorials budy

thanks alot.


17. peacengell Tue, 24 Jan 2012 07:11

nice tutorials budy

thanks alot.


16. peacengell Tue, 24 Jan 2012 07:10

nice tutorials budy

thanks alot.


15. zihni Tue, 29 Nov 2011 06:28

Thank you very much good tutorial


14. Phil Mon, 24 Oct 2011 06:26

useful starting video, now looking forward to getting python running


12. reddog Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:41

The tutorials and resource are really useful and practical. They get my vote.

Thank you.


10. Robert Wed, 24 Nov 2010 03:04

i want study with python computer scientist


9. getahun Fri, 19 Nov 2010 04:19

10q


8. willabee1 Wed, 13 Oct 2010 20:00

---- Please make more on this subject!.

---- *Really* useful, thanks!.


7. clueless at 13 Tue, 06 Apr 2010 16:33

i have no programming experience. HELP!


6. ahderms Thu, 14 Jan 2010 07:12

I wanna learn python guys how do I start.....Ill proceed.


5. Piyush madhamshettiwar Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:14

Thank you very much for such a nice tutorial.


4. Piyush madhamshettiwar Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:14

Thank you very much for such a nice tutorial.


anonymous Thu, 28 May 2009 03:16

thanks


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