Installing Python 3.2

Installing the Python language on your computer is not difficult, and it will greatly simplify your life if you can do your assignments on your own machine.

We will use Python 3.2.2, NOT Python 2.7.2. If you write a program using Python 2.7 (or any version earlier than Python 3.0), it will not work when we try to grade it. So please be careful to install 3.2 and NOT 2.7.

Installing Python for Windows

To install Python, go to the official Python download page, and select the right Python 3.2.2 installer for your system. The Python 3.2.2 installers are in the middle of the page.

When the installer runs, just keep clicking "Next" to accept the standard installtion options, and finally "Finish".

When you are done, if you left-click on the Start menu at the bottom-left of your screen, and then "All Programs", you should see "Python 3.1" in the list of programs you can run. Click on it, and then select "IDLE- Python Interpreter" to get started! (Note: not "Command line").

Installing Python on a Mac

OS-X comes with a version of Python pre-installed. But it's an older version, and we will be using version 3.2.2, so you have to install it as well. This means you will have two Pythons, but you know if you are using IDLE that you are using the new one, since the pre-installed Python does not include IDLE.

From the official Python download page, install the .dmg for Python 3.2.2. After installing, you should find Python 3.2.2 in the Applications folder, and you can put the IDLE icon your dock.

There are two apps in your Python3 folder in Applications, "IDLE" and "Python Launcher". We'll use mostly IDLE, but Python Launcher just runs the program (like double-clicking in Windows). You can put both in your dock, and then drag the program to the one you want. To make one or the other the default, control-click on a python program, select "get info", then change the "Open with" option. If you do that, double-clicking on a Python program will automatically open it using the selected option.

PyScripter

The PyScripter program is a much fancier program for writing and looking at Python programs than IDLE. We will use it in class to watch programs running step by step. It is available for free from MMM-experts, unfortunately only for Windows.