Installation and Troubleshooting Instructions

Windows Installation

Using Default Python

We recommend to use the default Python installer:

  1. Visit the Python website at https://www.python.org/downloads/windows/ and download the Windows installer for your architecture (likely 64-bit).

  2. Run the installer and select the option to "Add python.exe to PATH".

  3. Click "Install Now" to complete the installation.

  4. Open the Command Prompt (cmd) and execute the following commands:

    pip install pasta-eln
python -m pasta_eln.gui

Recommendation: We recommend installing additional packages such as matplotlib, pandas, and spyder to enhance your Python environment. To test your installation, open the Command Prompt and execute the following commands:

pip install matplotlib pandas spyder
python -c "import numpy as np;x = np.linspace(0,2*np.pi);y = np.sin(x);import matplotlib.pyplot as plt;plt.plot(x,y);plt.show()"

Using Anaconda

We recommend against using Anaconda as its license agreements prohibit its free use for anything else than education. Much work in universities and research institutions is carried out as funded third-party research that is not covered by the free Anaconda license. We give the Anaconda instructions here for those users that only use Python in an educational framework or that know about the exceptions from this short paragraph.

  1. Visit the Anaconda website at https://www.anaconda.com/download and download the installer.

  2. Run the installer and accept the default installation settings.

  3. Create a new environment named "PASTA-ELN" and select the Python 3.11 option.

  4. Click the "New" button to open the terminal and execute the following commands:

    pip install pasta-eln
python -m pasta_eln.gui

Linux Installation

  1. Open the terminal and create a new folder to hold all your PASTA related information

    mkdir ~/PASTA

  2. Create a new virtual environment with the name venvPasta.

    python3 -m venv ~/PASTA/venvPasta

  3. Activate the virtual environment by running

    source ~/PASTA/venvPastabin/activate

  4. Install PASTA-ELN by executing

    pip install pasta-eln

  5. Run the PASTA-ELN graphical interface by executing

    python3 -m pasta_eln.gui

  1. When prompted for data, we suggest to put your data inside a new DATA folder inside the Pasta folder you just created.

Troubleshooting

If the graphical interface does not open, you can execute the following command to determine the status:

python -m pasta_eln.installationTools

To start the setup of the requirements, execute:

python -m pasta_eln.installationTools install

Important: Only execute the next step when setting up PASTA-ELN for the first time. To create the example dataset, execute:

python -m pasta_eln.installationTools example

Afterwards, the normal 'pastaELN' command should work, and a desktop icon should be present.