[Tutor] Need Help with install of Python!

[George Fischhof]

2017-09-20 2:18 GMT+02:00 Alan Gauld via Tutor <tutor at python.org>:

> On 19/09/17 21:13, Larry Staley wrote:
> > Hello I am very new to Python just having installed Python Version 2.7
> onto
> > my windows 8.1 laptop.  I thought the install was successful and was
> > entering information for my first assignment when I received an
> unexpected
> > error.
>
> Where did you get your vesion of Python?
> If it was the standard distribution from python.org or
> activestate.com then it does not include any of the SciPy
> packages(*) and you need to install them separately.
>
> If you expect to be using mamny of these types of package
> you are best fetching a distribution  that includes them
> all, for example, Anaconda or Enthought
>
> (*)Pandas is part of the SciPy suite of third party add-ons.
>
> > I executed a Sheets command using an earlier generated getSheetNames
> > function that successfully was entered by me.
>
> When you define a function the code inside is not
> executed merely compiled into a function object
> ready for execution.
>
> > However, when I ran the Sheets command I received the following:
>
> Its only when you call the function that the code inside
> gets executed.
>
> > def getSheetNames(excelfile):
> >     from pandas import ExcelFile
>
> Its normal in Python to put all imports at the top of
> the file rather than inside any functions. In this
> case you try to import pandas everytime you call
> the function and while its not a big overhead it
> mounts up if you were calling this inside a
> repeating loop.
>
> And if the import was outside the function you would
> pick up the import error earlier.
>
> >>>> excelfile=r:"C:\Users\Larry
> >>>> sheets=getSheetNames
> > (excelfile);sheets
>
> I'm not sure what you are doing with that
> final ;sheets. I assuyme trying to evaluate the result of the function?
>
> It would be normal to just print it:
>
> >>> print getSheetNames(excelFile)
>
> or, if you need to store the result:
>
> >>> sheets=getSheetNames(excelfile)
> >>> sheets
>
> Combining commands on a single line doesn't save
> much typing and makes debugging harder.
>
> > I have in addition included the actual Python I executed and received the
> > message.  It is attached in the file.
>
> attachments often get rejected by the mailer,
> if its not a huge file(>100 lines) just paste
> it into the email.
>
> Always include the full error trace too.
>
> > If I need to install Pandas, please indicate clearly how I do using my
> > current ver 2.7 python install.
>
> The easiest way is just to grab one of the
> all-inclusive Python distros mentioned above.
>
> --
> Alan G
> Author of the Learn to Program web site
> http://www.alan-g.me.uk/
> http://www.amazon.com/author/alan_gauld
> Follow my photo-blog on Flickr at:
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/alangauldphotos
>
>
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Hi Larry,

If You just installed Python 2.7, maybe it would be a good idea to replace
it with Python 3.6. It will not solve Your problem, but support of Pyhon 2
will be finished in 2020, and that time You will have to learn Python 3
anyway. So it is better to start with it if You have no any special
requirement to use Python 2.
(Python 3 is more modern, and is the future)
;-)


@tutors
Hi Tutors,

I think we should encourage people new to Python to use Python 3 instaed of
Python 2 as this is the future. ;-)


BR,
George