Running and Quitting

Overview

Teaching: 15 min
Exercises: 0 min

Questions

• How can I run Python programs?

Objectives

• Use Anaconda to launch Spyder.

• Understand the difference between a script and directly typed commands.

Python programs are plain text files.

• They have the .py extension to let everyone (including the operating system) know it is a Python program.
  • This is convention, not a requirement.
• It’s common to write them using a text editor or integrated development environment. We’re going to use the Spyder editor that comes with Anaconda.
• The bit of extra setup is well worth it because Spyder provides code completion and other helpful features.

Use Spyder for editing and running Python.

• The [Anaconda package manager][anaconda] is an automated way to install Spyder.
  • See the setup instructions for Anaconda installation instructions.
• It also installs all the extra libraries it needs to run.

• Once you have installed Anaconda, open a shell and type:

  $ spyder
  

• Or click on the Spyder icon on your Start menu.

• This will start a Spyder.

Spyder has console and file based running.

• On the left hand side you’ll see a place to write code and save it in a file.
• You need to click the play button to run these.
• On the bottom right is the console. Here you can type in code and have it run immediately.
• Older versions of Spyder have two consoles. iPython and Python. Newer versions just have iPython, we’ll only use that.
• Files you save can be run outside of Spyder.
• If you want to run on an HPC this is what you might use.

Key Points

• Python programs are plain text files.

• Use Spyder for editing and running Python.

• Spyder can edit Python script files and run them.

• Spyder can be used to issue single commands to Python.