Installation and Troubleshooting Instructions

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Installation Instructions and Troubleshooting

Overview: Install Pasta-ELN on Windows, Linux, and MacOS. Pasta-ELN requires Python 3.10 or newer. General Troubleshooting tips are provided at the end.

Windows Installation

Automatic Installation

Download the installation batch script by right-clicking & "Save link as" while ensuring that the file has the extension '.bat'. Then execute it and ignore the warning.

Manual Installation

  1. Download Python: https://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.13.3/python-3.13.3-amd64.exe.

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

  3. Click "Install Now".

  4. Open Command Prompt (cmd) and copy-paste following content:

pip install pasta-eln
python -m pasta_eln.installationTools install "%UserProfile%\Documents\PASTA_ELN_DATA"
python -m pasta_eln.installationTools shortcut
python -m pasta_eln.installationTools example
python -m pasta_eln.gui

Recommendation: Install additional packages for enhanced functionality and test python installation:

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: Not recommended due to licensing restrictions. For educational use:

  1. Download Anaconda: https://www.anaconda.com/download.

  2. Install with default settings.

  3. Create a new environment with Python 3.11.

  4. Copy-Paste following content:

    pip install pasta-eln
python -m pasta_eln.gui

Linux Installation

Open terminal and copy-paste following content:

mkdir ~/PASTA_ELN
python3 -m venv ~/PASTA_ELN/venv
source ~/PASTA_ELN/venv/bin/activate
pip install pasta-eln
python3 -m pasta_eln.installationTools install ~/PASTA_ELN/data
python3 -m pasta_eln.installationTools shortcut
python3 -m pasta_eln.installationTools example
python3 -m pasta_eln.gui

Command Explanation:

  1. Create a folder for PASTA-ELN files.

  2. Set up and activate a virtual environment.

  3. Install PASTA-ELN.

  4. Initialize the data folder.

  5. Launch the graphical interface.

MacOS Installation

Requirements

If not done already, install first Homebrew and then python3 using that

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
brew install python

Open terminal and copy-paste following content:

export pastaPath="PASTA_ELN"
mkdir ~/PASTA_ELN
python3 -m venv ~/PASTA_ELN/venv
source ~/PASTA_ELN/venv/bin/activate
pip install pasta-eln
python3 -m pasta_eln.installationTools install ~/PASTA_ELN/data
python3 -m pasta_eln.installationTools shortcut
python3 -m pasta_eln.installationTools example
python3 -m pasta_eln.gui

Command Explanation:

  1. Create a folder for PASTA-ELN files.

  2. Set up and activate a virtual environment.

  3. Install PASTA-ELN.

  4. Initialize the data folder.

  5. Launch the graphical interface.

Troubleshooting Instructions

Error: Installing Pasta-ELN leads to a syntax error
Solution

  • Verify that you use Python version 3.10 or newer. (execute 'python' on the command-shell)

  • Verify that you do not use conda. (Pasta-ELN installation spins up its own pip-environment.)

  • (Linux) Verify that you do not use a python environment inside another python environment. When you open a new terminal does it start with (...)?

Error: File on hard disk but not DB"

Solution Scan the folder for new data.

Error: Other errors
Solution: File a new issue on github

  • Copy terminal output into the new issue.

  • Attach pastaELN.log (found in your home folder or "My Documents" on Windows).

  • (possibly) Zip the pastaELN folder contents and attach it.

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