Python Installation Instructions

For each x.x version of Python, you should normally have only one version. It's ok to have Python 2.3.5 and Python 2.4.3, but it is problematic if you have both 2.4.1 and 2.4.3. It is also tricky if you have two different distributions of the same version. To keep things simple, I propose that the only version of Python 2.4 be ActivePython 2.4.3. This gives you all the goodies for Windows and a nice help system.

Python 2.5 has recently been released, but many important distributions have not yet been updated.

If you already have ActivePython 2.4.3 installed, you can skip the first step. If you have a version of Python 2.4 installed other than ActivePython 2.4.3 (for example, the basic version from www.python.org) then uninstall the conflicting version first. Versions of Python other than 2.4 are not a concern.

ActivePython:
http://downloads.activestate.com/ActivePython/windows/2.4/ActivePython-2.4.3.12-win32-x86.msi

During install, let the installer make this the default Python by adjusting the PATH.

Arrange ActivePython inside Start->Programs.

CTypes (allows interaction with DLLs):
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/ctypes/ctypes-1.0.0.win32-py2.4.exe?download

PyReadline (facilitates autocompletion):
http://ipython.scipy.org/dist/pyreadline-1.3.win32.exe

IPython (a better interactive shell):
http://ipython.scipy.org/dist/ipython-0.7.2.win32.exe

Arrange IPython inside Start->Programs.

Launch Start->Programs->IPython->IPython. IPython will create some preference files. Next open the properties for the window. Turn on Quick Edit Mode and adjust the Layout tab to 100, 300, 100, 60. Save the changes to the shortcut. Control-D to shutdown IPython.

NumPy (Numerical Python):
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/numpy/numpy-1.0rc2.win32-py2.4.exe?download

Python Imaging Library (PIL):
http://effbot.org/downloads/PIL-1.1.5.win32-py2.4.exe

Pygame (Python-wrapped SDL for authoring games, similar to DirectX for 2D)http://www.pygame.org/ftp/pygame-1.7.1release.win32-py2.4.exe

Pygame Docs & Examples:
http://www.pygame.org/ftp/pygame-1.7.1release.zip
Extract the docs and examples folders into a new directory named "Pygame Docs and Examples", located where the students can easily get to it.

Open examples. Double-click chimp.py. You should get a really stupid game where a picture of a chimpanzee is moving back and forth. This verifies that everything is working so far.


At this point, you have everything but a decent editor/debugger for Python...

wxPython (widget set needed for Stani's Python Editor)
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/wxpython/wxPython2.6-win32-unicode-2.6.3.3-py24.exe

Stani's Python Editor (SPE)
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/spe/SPE-0.8.2.a-wx2.6.1.0-py24.exe?download

Arrange Stani's Python Editor inside Start->Programs.

Launch Stani's Python Editor. This writes the initial preferences, and verifies that everything installed correctly.