lament glacier
I've recently begun the CS50P course and their web-based codespace doesn't seem to be meant for importing other tools like matplotlib into the system. I've managed to install Python locally to my computer, but I couldn't get it to work with matplotlib and other related tools that involve graphing/data analysis. Any recommendations and/or resources?
Note - I'm a complete beginner to programming.
cloud knotBOT
I've recently begun the CS50P course and their web-based codespace doesn't seem ...
@lament glacier
Python help channel opened
icy spruce
what does "couldn't get it to work" mean?
What did you do, what did you observe in response, how did that differ from what you expected?
sudden shale
!doc pip
Note that matplotlib et al are third party packages you need to install using pip after you have Python itself.
cloud knotBOT
sudden shale
It depends a bit on your work environment/IDE. VSCode, Jupyter, PyCharm?
... or something else.
lament glacier
Right now I'm using CS50P's provided, web-based (on Google Chrome browser) codespace/github (I think). I'm running the code as shown above, not receiving error messages, but the plot still doesn't show in the terminal. I'm trying to install Python separately now, locally to my computer, while also being able to integrate third-party packages like matplotlib, but I haven't found much success or have found anything online that helped. I've downloaded the latest version of Python and have not gone any farther from there. What should I do next?
sudden shale
In your codespace thing, maybe a final show() to show the plot? ax.plot() just draws stuff on the plot. So you need:
from matplotlib.plotly import show
... generate the plot ...
show()
A common practice is to:
from matplotlib import plotly as plt
and then just invoke plt.show() or plt.subplots(......) etc as needed instead of imports individual names directory from matplotlib.plotly.
@lament glacier ^^
lament glacier
Hm I tried those and the codespace terminal just goes blank, it doesn't execute anything.
Is there an easier way to do this? I don't want to rely on this CS50P web-based workspace because they restrict some things I might not know about hence the confusion
viral steppe
Because this is specific to CS50P, I find they have some instructions for working in VS Code locally.
The big part being they have a devcontainer.json config with quite a lot of tooling defined there, so you can get started more easily.
See: https://cs50.readthedocs.io/cs50.dev/#offline-with-docker
Yes you can install things on your local machine without Docker, but you may want to stick to the course tooling for now to avoid these headaches and stay focused on the learning materials.
lament glacier
Because this is specific to CS50P, I find they have some instructions for workin...
Hi; why would more tooling make it easier to start? Doesn't that make it more complicated?
The problem is I can't seem to figure out how to generate the plots I want to be making... I'm using CS50P's GitHub on Google Chrome and that hasn't worked, and when I try using it on VS Code, it says my device isn't compatible because I don't have an "x64" processor AND I can't even run this simple code:
Also, this individual seems to have a similar problem: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/74415793/matplotlib-figures-not-generating-in-github-codespaces
How could I get it working on my local machine?
crude leaf
Hm I tried those and the codespace terminal just goes blank, it doesn't execute ...
why not save the plot and then open it?
lament glacier
why not save the plot and then open it?
How exactly do I do that? Sorry I'm a complete beginner
viral steppe
Hi; why would more tooling make it easier to start? Doesn't that make it more co...
More as in, they've predefined that tooling for you.
Essentially, start dev container, start coding.
Which is what codespaces are, anyway
A workaround from that SO post is to make a .ipynb file, which is a notebook. Might be able to render the plots natively that way
(with that, pardon, I have to run)
crude leaf
How exactly do I do that? Sorry I'm a complete beginner
its been a good while since i've used matplotlib; here's an example from stackoverflow https://stackoverflow.com/a/4328608/6513998
lament glacier
Ah, thanks guys, that helps. Last thing: where can I make that .ipynb file and where do I implement the above code?
sudden shale
Hi; why would more tooling make it easier to start? Doesn't that make it more co...
It says "run it without arguments". That, I think, means just type python. You should be able to install Python from the Microsfot Store. (Disclaimer: I don't run Windows.)
lament glacier
It says "run it without arguments". That, I think, means just type `python`. You...
Hm I tried that and it says I need to import numpy, which I have zero clue how to do
sudden shale
I see you're running IDLE. How did you invoke that?
@lament glacier I assume that came with the python instal. So get yourself a windows command prompt (eg PowerShell). Type:
py -m pip install numpy
See what that does.
lament glacier
I see you're running IDLE. How did you invoke that?
I'm not sure, I downloaded it a while ago; I think I simply downloaded Python from my browser
lament glacier
<@408367926757031937> I assume that came with the python instal. So get yourself...
HEY that works!!
If not the Python install, what is the normal way to get Python locally installed onto the computer, and if not the command prompt, how would I be able to install numpy, matplotlib, and other Python packages?
sudden shale
If not the Python install, what is the normal way to get Python locally installe...
The normal way is either the Microsoft Store (for Windows computers) or an installer from python.org: https://www.python.org/downloads/
I believe you can install multiple versions. The py command you ran runs the default Python, but can be told to run an arbitrary one. Type py -0 to list the various installs.
For now, stick with the one you've got.
To install numpy et al:
py -m pip install matplotlib numpy
or whatever other packages you expect to need.
That installs into the specific Python py would invoke. If you've just got the one you should be good.
sudden shale
Not unless you need some shiny new feature.
lament glacier
And also is IDLE the normal means to run Python
sudden shale
It's a common IDE shipped with Python for writing Python code. There are several choices.
lament glacier
When should I transition to VS code (I see that's mainstream amongst programmers)
sudden shale
To run a python script you go:
py your-script-filename-here.py
If you find IDLE limiting. Or for curiosity. There are several IDEs you might choose (PyCharm, VSCode, Spyder etc).
I just use a pair of terminals, one for an editor and one to run the script in.
lament glacier
To _run_ a python script you go:
```
py your-script-filename-here.py
```
Into the command prompt? Also, is there a repository for all such information; this is all super helpful 🙏
cloud knotBOT
sudden shale
An IDE like VSCode or whatever usually has some "Run" button somewhere.
Note that IDEs ("Intergrated Development Environment") are for development. A finished programme won't normally be run from the IDE. If you've written some utility script to do something for you, you'd install (copy) it into a place for your personal commands, and just invoke it by name from the command prompt.
lament glacier
Oh okay, thanks so much for all the help
cloud knotBOT
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