Python Environment for UND ATSC courses

If you have questions or run into issues, reach out to Dr. Jordan Christian (jordan.i.christian@und.edu) or Kyle Gillett (kyle.gillett@und.edu)

Contents

Primary steps:

• Overview

• Prerequisite Installations

  • Python Installation
  • JupyterLab Installation

• Creating the UND ATSC Python Environment

• Running JupyterLab

• Have Questions?

Other resources:

• Updating the UND ATSC Python Environment
• Activating the UND ATSC Python Environment
• Testing Your Installation

Overview

This repository contains installation instructions, scripts, and environments to set up Python on personal computers to complete coding assignments in UND ATSC courses.

Prerequisite Installations

Before setting up the Python environment, two installations are required:

1. Python (version 3.11)
2. JupyterLab

Python Installation

• Windows

  1. Open the Command Prompt, and type:

     python --version

     or

     py --version

     If the output shows Python 3.11.x for one of the commands typed above, move on to the JupyterLab installation, otherwise, follow the steps below to install Python 3.11.

     Install Python 3.11 for Windows by downloading the Windows installer (64-bit) under Python 3.11.9.

     After the install is complete, type python --version or py --version in the Command Prompt to verify installation.

• Mac

  1. Open a Terminal, and type:

     python3.11 --version

     If the output shows Python 3.11.x, move on to the JupyterLab installation, otherwise, follow the steps below to install Python 3.11.

     Install Python 3.11 for Mac by downloading the macOS 64-bit universal2 install under Python 3.11.9.

     After the install is complete, type python3.11 --version in a Terminal to verify installation.

JupyterLab Installation

• Windows

  1. Open the Command Prompt, and type:

     pip install jupyterlab 

     or

     py -m pip install jupyterlab

     Note: Depending on your python install, you may need to use python, python3 or py at the beginning of the above command.

• Mac

  1. Open a Terminal, and type:

     python3.11 -m pip install jupyterlab

Creating the UND ATSC Python Environment

• Windows

  Open the Command Prompt, and use the cd command and navigate to the directory where you would like to keep the UND ATSC Python environment.

  1. If the Command Prompt, type:

     git clone https://github.com/jordanichristian/und-atsc-python.git

     Note: If the above command doesn't work, download and install Git for Windows. Keep all of the default selected options during the install. After installation is complete, close the Command Prompt, open a new Command Prompt, and try the git clone command again in the Command Prompt.

  2. Then enter the new directory:

     cd und-atsc-python

  3. Then, run the script create_python_env_windows.bat by typing:

     create_python_env_windows.bat

     If successful, you should see the output:
     "ATSC Python environment setup complete!"

  
  

• Mac

  Open the Command Prompt, and use the cd command and navigate to the directory where you would like to keep the UND ATSC Python environment.

  1. In the Terminal, type:

     git clone https://github.com/jordanichristian/und-atsc-python.git

  2. Then enter the new directory:

     cd und-atsc-python

  3. Then, run the script create_python_env_mac_linux.sh by typing:

     ./create_python_env_mac_linux.sh

     Note: If the script doesn't run, make it "executable" by typing: chmod u+x create_python_env_mac_linux.sh then try running the script again.

     If successful, you should see the output:
     "ATSC Python environment setup complete!"

Running JupyterLab

After Python 3.11 and JupyterLab have been installed and the UND ATSC Python environment is set up, JupyterLab can be started with the following commands:

• Windows:

  1. Open a Command Prompt and type:

     jupyter lab

     or:

     py -m jupyterlab

  
  

• Mac:

  1. Open a Terminal and type:

     jupyter lab

• After opening a Jupyter notebook:

  The above commands will open a browser tab that will allow you to work with Jupyter notebooks (.ipynb files).

  Click the current kernel name (usually Python 3 (ipykernel)) in the top-right corner of the notebook and change it to und_atsc_kernel. This ensures the notebook uses the packages installed in the UND ATSC Python environment.

Have questions?

Reach out to Dr. Jordan Christian (jordan.i.christian@und.edu) or Kyle Gillett (kyle.gillett@und.edu)

Updating the UND ATSC Python Environment

When updates are made to the UND ATSC Python environment, you may update your local environment using git pull

The setup scripts automatically remove the existing und_atsc_env and create a fresh environment using the latest requirements.txt.

Your personal Python scripts, notebooks, and other files are not affected!

• Windows

  1. Open Command Prompt and navigate to your und_atsc_env directory using the cd command. Once inside, use git pull to "pull down" the updates from GitHub:

     git pull --ff-only

  2. Then rebuild the environment:

     create_python_env_windows.bat

• Mac / Linux

  1. Open Command Prompt and navigate to your und_atsc_env directory using the cd command. Once inside, use git pull to "pull down" the updates from GitHub:

     git pull --ff-only

  2. Then rebuild the environment:

     ./create_python_env_mac_linux.sh

Activating the UND ATSC Python Environment

FOR ADVANCED USERS ONLY: To troubleshoot issues, install or update packages, or run Python commands directly within the UND ATSC environment, first activate the environment. This also varies by operating system:

• Windows

  1. Open the Command Prompt and navigate to the und-atsc-python directory. For example:

     cd und-atsc-python

  2. Then activate the environment by typing:

     und_atsc_env\Scripts\activate

     After activation, you should see (und_atsc_env) at the beginning of the Command Prompt, similar to:

     (und_atsc_env) C:\Users\your_username\und-atsc-python>
     

     To deactivate the environment when you are finished, type:

     deactivate

  
  

• Mac/Linux

  1. Open a Terminal and navigate to the und-atsc-python directory. For example:

     cd und-atsc-python

  2. Then activate the environment by typing:

     source und_atsc_env/bin/activate

     After activation, you should see (und_atsc_env) at the beginning of the Terminal prompt.

     To deactivate the environment when you are finished, type:

     deactivate

     Note: The environment must be activated from the und-atsc-python directory unless you provide the full path to the und_atsc_env directory.

Testing your installation

1. Follow the instructions above to activate your und_atsc_env environment.

2. When your environment is activated, type the following command into your terminal (Mac) or command prompt (Windows):

   sounderpy --help

   If a message pops up with instructions for using SounderPy, your environment is working and up to date!

   Note: If that doesn't work, you may need to use python -m sounderpy --help (also try python3 and py)