Lesson 0: Setup

Windows Setup

Install Python

The first step to programming in Python is to install the Python interpreter and supporting packages by following the instructions below.

Browse to the Anaconda Web Site.
Download the Python 3.11 (or later) 64-Bit Graphical Installer.
Run the downloaded Anaconda3-2023.07-2-Windows-x86_64.exe file and install it for All Users in the default location and register it as the system Python. Uncheck the Launch Anaconda Navigator and Getting Started with Anaconda Distribution boxes, or just close the assocated windows if they pop up.

Test the Python Installation

Now let’s test out the Python interpreter we just installed by performing the following steps.

After installation is complete, search for the newly-installed Anaconda Powershell Prompt program in the start menu and run it. A window with a command prompt like this should show up:
```
(base) PS C:\Users\Username>
```
This command prompt allows you to run Windows programs and execute system commands by typing the name of the program or command at the prompt.
Start the Python interpreter program by typing python (the name of the Python interpreter program) at the Powershell prompt, followed by the <Enter> key. When the interpreter starts up and is ready to accept Python commands, it will present you with a Python prompt that looks like this:
```
>>>
```
At this point, you can type Python commands at the prompt to execute them, one line at a time. For example, typing:
```
print("hello world")
```
followed by <Enter>, executes a Python command to print out the text “hello world” to the screen.
Exit the Python interpreter by typing exit() followed by <Enter>.
Exit the Windows Powershell by typing exit followed by <Enter>.

Create a Folder for Python Code Development

Next, we will create a folder to hold the Python programs we will create in this course.

Open the Windows File Explorer by clicking on the file folder icon on the Windows taskbar at the bottom of your screen, or search for File Explorer in the start menu and run it.
Browse to your Documents folder in the file explorer.
Right-click in the empty area of the file explorer window and select the New->Folder option from the pop-up context menu to create new folder under Documents. Change the name of the folder from New folder (this text will be highlighted) to Python101.

Install VSCode

We will use the VSCode plain-text editor and integrated development environment (IDE) to edit and run Python programs. This software can be installed by following these steps:

Browse to the VSCode web site.
Click on the x64 User Installer for Windows 10/11 button to download the installer.
Run the VSCodeUserSetup-x64-1.81.1.exe installer program you just downloaded and install with the default options.
After installing, VSCode can be started by searching for Visual Studio Code in the start menu and running that application.

Note that any plain-text editor (even the Windows Notepad application) can be used to edit Python programs, but a specialized IDE generally makes program development easier and more productive.

Set up VSCode for Python Development

Now we will configure VSCode for Python development as follows:

After launching VSCode, click the gear icon (aka Manage) in the bottom-left corner and then click on Extensions.
Type “python” in the search box of the Extensions: Marketplace.
Choose Install for the Python extension from Microsoft and wait for it to finish installing.
Now choose the View->Command Palette menu option, type Terminal: Select Default Profile in the search box, and then choose Command Prompt.
Now click the pages icon (aka Explorer) in the top-left corner and then click on the Open Folder button.
Browse into the Documents folder and select the Python101 folder you created earlier.
Now click the Select Folder button and then click the Yes, I trust the authors button.
Now select the File->New File menu option and then Python File.
Now you have a new (still untitled) plain-text document opened for editing.
Type this text on line the first line of the file:
```
print("hello world")
```
Now let’s save the file by selecting the File->Save menu option.
Type hello in the File name box and then press the Save button.
Now let’s try to run the program by clicking the “play” arrow icon in upper right corner.

When you do this for the first time, you may see an error message about an invalid Python interpreter pop up in the lower-right corner of your screen. If so, click the Select Python Interpreter button, choose the “Conda” (or “Anaconda”) Python interpreter (there is probably only one option), and then press the “play” arrow to try again.
This time, you should see a terminal area pop up at the bottom of your VSCode window. This terminal will show the shell command used to run your program (i.e. hello.py) with the Python interpreter, followed by the output of your program (i.e. hello world).

If you’ve gotten this far, then congratulations – you have successfully written and run your first Python program.

Install Git

The next step is to install the Git version control system. This software tool helps keep track of changes made to source code and makes it easy to pull down source code from online code repositories. We will use it to pull down code to support our Py101 lessons.

Download the latest 64-bit Git for Windows Setup program from the Git web site.
Run the Git-2.42.0-64-bit.exe installer that you just downloaded.
Click yes to allow the installer to make changes to your computer and accept the license agreement.
Take the default installation options except for the default editor used by Git. At this prompt, choose the Use Visual Studio Code as Git's default editor option.

Pull Down the Py101 Support Code

Before we can start our lessons, we need to pull down some supporting code from our Py101 course web site.

Open the Windows File Explorer by clicking on the file folder icon on the Windows taskbar at the bottom of your screen, or search for File Explorer in the start menu and run it.
Browse to your Documents/Python101 folder in the file explorer.
Right-click in the empty area of the file explorer window and select the Show more options -> Open Git GUI here option from the pop-up context menu.
Now choose Clone Existing Repository.
Type https://github.com/codecraftingacademy/py101.git in the Source Location box.
Type py101 in the Target Directory box.
Click the Clone button to pull down the source code from GitHub.
Close the GitGUI application.
You should now see a py101 folder inside your Python101 directory.

Please don’t move, edit or place any extra files inside the py101 folder. This folder is reserved for code downloaded from the Py101 web site that will be used in our lessons.