QuickStart¶

Prerequisites¶

XYmath dependencies include matplotlib, numpy, scipy, numexpr, imaging-tk (and win32com on Windows). Installing these can be problematic on both Windows and Linux. The easiest solution is to use Anaconda or Python(x,y). If you are interested in XYmath, you probably want Anaconda or Python(x,y) for many other reasons anyway.

I recommend you go to either

Python(x,y): http://python-xy.github.io/

Or

Anaconda: https://store.continuum.io/cshop/anaconda/

XYmath itself is a pure python package, all modules are written in python with no compiled extension modules of its own.

Without Anaconda or Python(x,y)¶

w/o On Windows¶

If you insist on “going it alone” without Anaconda or Python(x,y), on Windows, then I can’t help you, I don’t know how to install XYmath without one or the other of those environments.

You can try going to Unofficial Windows Binaries for Python Extension Packages and for each of the required packages use:

pip install <name of downloaded wheel(.whl) file>

I’m a Windows person with years of experience with python on Windows and I still find the build process too daunting.

You really can’t go wrong with either Anaconda or Python(x,y), I have used them both and think they are both excellent. Python(x,y) is only on Windows, Anaconda supports both Windows and Linux.

w/o On Linux¶

Without Anaconda on Linux, note that pip will not install some packages. You may get messages like: “the following required packages cannot be built * freetype png” OR “i686-linux-gnu-gcc: error trying to exec ‘cc1plus’”.

You may need to do the following:

Use the ``Software Manager`` to install matplotlib, numpy, scipy, numexpr, imaging-tk

Or Try,

sudo apt-get install python-matplotlib
sudo apt-get install python-numpy
sudo apt-get install python-scipy
sudo apt-get install python-numexpr
sudo apt-get install python-imaging-tk

Install XYmath¶

Once the above prerequisites are met, the easiest way to install XYmath is:

pip install xymath

    OR on Linux
sudo pip install xymath
    OR perhaps
pip install --user xymath

In case of error, see pip Error Messages

Installation From Source¶

Much less common, but if installing from source, then the best way to install xymath is still pip.

After navigating to the directory holding XYmath source code, do the following:

cd full/path/to/xymath
pip install -e .

    OR on Linux
sudo pip install -e .
    OR perhaps
pip install --user -e .

This will execute the local setup.py file and insure that the pip-specific commands in setup.py are run.

Running XYmath¶

There are several ways to run XYmath

Launch the GUI, enter and fit data and perhaps run some math operations

Write a script to launch the GUI with data (see Example Scripts)

Run a script that outputs to the console (see Example Scripts)

Launch GUI¶

After installing with pip, there will be a launch command line program called xymath or, on Windows, xymath.exe installed on your system. From a terminal or command prompt window simply type:

xymath

  OR

xymath <dataset name>

and XYmath will start. If a dataset name is given (e.g. mydata.x_y) then XYmath will look for the dataset and load it upon launch. For example:

xymath mydata
xymath mydata.x_y
xymath C:\long\path\to\sample\data\mydata
xymath ~/xy_data/mydata.x_y

If XYmath does not start with the above command, then there may be an issue with your system path. The path for the xymath executable might be something like:

/usr/local/bin/xymath             (if installed with sudo pip install -e .)
     or
/home/<user>/.local/bin/xymath    (if installed with pip install -e .)
     or
C:\Python27\Scripts\xymath.exe    (on Windows)

Make sure your system path includes the above path to xymath.

pip Error Messages¶

If you get an error message that pip is not found, see https://pip.pypa.io/en/latest/installing.html for full description of pip installation.

There might be issues with pip failing on Linux with a message like:

InsecurePlatformWarning
        or
Cannot fetch index base URL https://pypi.python.org/simple/

Certain Python platforms (specifically, versions of Python earlier than 2.7.9) have the InsecurePlatformWarning. If you encounter this warning, it is strongly recommended you upgrade to a newer Python version, or that you use pyOpenSSL.

Also pip may be mis-configured and point to the wrong PyPI repository. You need to fix this global problem with pip just to make python usable on your system.

If you give up on upgrading python or fixing pip, you might also try downloading the xymath source package (and all dependency source packages) from PyPI and installing from source as shown above at Installation From Source