Background

As I read through a news article, it made mention of an application.

I was sufficiently teased to look more into the application.

 

Application

I wanted to understand the application’s installation steps and discovered that the application is installed using python’s pip module.

To access, python’s pip, I know that I will need a working python runtime.

 

Python

Is Python Installed?

On my working computer, I accessed a new “command shell” and tried running python.

But, no go.

executable – python

Microsoft Store

When I launched python, a “Microsoft Store” window comes up.

Image

Choice

Within the “Microsoft Store“, we can choose the Get button to fetch Python.

 

Artifacts

Python installation binaries are available at https://www.python.org/downloads/.

The currently available version is 3.10.2.

Installer

I am on an MS Windows machine and my target OS is the same.

And, so chose the Windows installer.

 

Installation

Kicked off the installer and here are the choices we made.

Outline

1. Welcome
   • Setup Choice
     • Express Install
       • Install Now
     • Customize Installation
   • Install Launcher for all users ( recommend )
   • Add Python 3.10 to PATH
2. Optional Features
   • Documentation
   • Pip
   • tcl/tk and IDLE
   • Python test suite
   • py launcher
   • for all users ( requires elevation )
3. Advanced Options
   • Install for all users
   • Associate files with Python ( requires the py launcher )
   • Create shortcuts for installed applications
   • Add Python to environment variables
   • Precompile standard library
   • Download debugging symbols
   • Download debug binaries ( requires VS 2017 or later )

Step – Welcome

On the Python’s installer welcome screen we are granted a choice between an express or a customized install.

We opted for the customized installation for the following reasons:-

1. Express Installer
   • Targets a user-specific folder
     • Actual
       • C:\Users\dadeniji\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310
     • Syntax
       • C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python<version.major><version.minor>
   • Though it is a personal computer, I personally don’t want a unique python installer for each user
   • In having a generalized python runtime, the scripts that target python will be able to reference a consistent python runtime folder
2. Customized Installation
   • In choosing to go with “Customized Installation”, we can overlook the following options, as we will later have an opportunity to correct
     • Install Launcher for all users ( recommend )
     • Add Python 3.10 to PATH

Images

Welcome

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Optional Features

We acquiescence to all the optional features:-

1. Documentation
2. Pip
3. tcl/tk and IDLE
4. Python test suite
5. py launcher
6. for all users ( requires elevation )

Explanation

1. Documentation
2. Pip
   • Pip allows one to download and install other modules
3. tcl/tk and IDLE
4. Python test suite
5. py launcher
6. for all users ( requires elevation )
   • Focus
     • Installation is not constrained to the current
     • But, availed at the entire system
   • Requirement
     • Please be sure to start the installation at an elevated level ( start as an administrator )

Image

Advanced Options

Here are the availed “Advanced Options“:-

1. Install for all users
2. Associate files with Python ( requires the py launcher )
3. Create shortcuts for installed applications
4. Add Python to environment variables
5. Precompile standard library
6. Download debugging symbols
7. Download debug binaries ( requires VS 2017 or later )

Explanation

1. Install for all users
   • Choose to install for all users
2. Associate files with Python ( requires the py launcher )
   • Associate files for Python
3. Create shortcuts for installed applications
   • Created desktop shortcuts
4. Add Python to environment variables
   • Add the python folder to the PATH environment variable
5. Precompile standard library
6. Download debugging symbols
7. Download debug binaries ( requires VS 2017 or later )

Images

Advanced Options

Setup Progress

Images

Setup Progress – 01

Setup Progress – 02

 

Validation

Once Python is installed, we will need to review the installation.

Post Install Validation

Our post-installation validation step will be very simple.

Version #

We will invoke the python executable and inquire for the version #.

Syntax

python -V

Sample

python -V

Output

Output – Text

Python 3.10.2

Output – Image