Python installation

This page describes how to set up a python scientific environment on GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Window XP/7 based on the version 2.5, 2.6 or 2.7 of python. The following libraries and utilities will be installed:

• Numpy: Array processing, the fundamental package for scientific computing with Python
• Matplotlib: Publication-quality plots, mostly 2D
• Scipy: Mathematics, sciences and engineering library
• STScI python: Astronomical data analysis (includes PyRAF, MultiDrizzle, PyFITS, pysynphot and Numdisplay)
• Ipython: Interactive Python shell

Notes

• This page is adapted from the MIRI software installation notes.
• The prompt notifies if root or non-privileged user account must be used for commands

• Location of the Python packages installed either with the distribution package manager (Linux), dmg (Mac), executable (Windows), or with setup.py with administrator privileges and without prefix option:

  • Linux:
    • Ubuntu: /usr/local/lib/python2.x/dist-packages/
    • other distribution: /usr/lib/python2.x/site-packages/
  • Windows: C:\Python2xLib\site-packages\
  • Mac OS: /usr/stsci/pyssg/2.x.y
  • Where x and y are your actual Python version and sub-version numbers.

• If you want to read/modify/write some python code, you might want an IDE or at least a good editor. Of course Vim and Emacs can do the job pretty well. For graphical IDEs: eclipse + pydev plugin, Spyder (included in pythonxy on windows) and Eric are available.

GNU/Linux

JulienMorin - 04 Nov 2011