One-day Python workshop

Aug 15, 2017

09.00 - 16.15

Instructors: William Reinar, Lex Nederbragt, Anne Claire Fouilloux

Helpers: Katie Dean, Axel Rosén, Srinidhi Varadharajan, Gladys Nalvarte

Plotting and Programming in Python

Who: The course is aimed at graduate students and other researchers. You don't need to have any previous knowledge of the tools that will be presented at the workshop.

Where: Nucleus 2 & 3 (Bikuben), Kristine Bonnevies hus, Blindernveien 31, University of Oslo, 0371 Oslo. Get directions with OpenStreetMap or Google Maps.

When: Aug 15, 2017. Add to your Google Calendar.

Requirements: Participants must bring a laptop with a Mac, Linux, or Windows operating system (not a tablet, Chromebook, etc.) that they have administrative privileges on. They should have a few specific software packages installed (listed below). They are also required to abide by Software Carpentry's Code of Conduct.

Accessibility: We are committed to making this workshop accessible to everybody. The workshop organisers have checked that:

Materials will be provided in advance of the workshop and large-print handouts are available if needed by notifying the organizers in advance. If we can help making learning easier for you (e.g. sign-language interpreters, lactation facilities) please get in touch (using contact details below) and we will attempt to provide them.

Contact: Please email w.b.reinar@ibv.uio.no for more information.


Schedule

09:00 Running and Quitting
09:15 Variables and Assignment
09:35 Data Types and Type Conversion
09.55 Built-in Functions and Help
10:20 Coffee
10:35 Libraries
10:55 Reading Tabular Data into DataFrames
11:15 Pandas DataFrames
11:45 Plotting
12:15 Lunch
13:00 Lists
13:20 For Loops
13:45 Looping Over Data Sets
14:00 Writing Functions
14:25 Variable Scope
14:45 Afternoon Coffee
15:00 Conditionals
15:25 Programming Style
15:55 Wrap-up
16:15 Feedback
16:30 Finish

We will use this collaborative document for chatting, taking notes, and sharing URLs and bits of code.


Setup

To participate in a Software Carpentry workshop, you will need access to the software described below. In addition, you will need an up-to-date web browser.

We maintain a list of common issues that occur during installation as a reference for instructors that may be useful on the Configuration Problems and Solutions wiki page.

Python

Python is a popular language for research computing, and great for general-purpose programming as well. Installing all of its research packages individually can be a bit difficult, so we recommend Anaconda, an all-in-one installer.

Regardless of how you choose to install it, please make sure you install Python version 3.x (e.g., 3.4 is fine).

We will teach Python using the IPython notebook, a programming environment that runs in a web browser. For this to work you will need a reasonably up-to-date browser. The current versions of the Chrome, Safari and Firefox browsers are all supported (some older browsers, including Internet Explorer version 9 and below, are not).

Windows

Video Tutorial
  1. Open http://continuum.io/downloads with your web browser.
  2. Download the Python 3 installer for Windows.
  3. Install Python 3 using all of the defaults for installation except make sure to check Make Anaconda the default Python.

Mac OS X

Video Tutorial
  1. Open http://continuum.io/downloads with your web browser.
  2. Download the Python 3 installer for OS X.
  3. Install Python 3 using all of the defaults for installation.

Linux

  1. Open http://continuum.io/downloads with your web browser.
  2. Download the Python 3 installer for Linux.
    (Installation requires using the shell. If you aren't comfortable doing the installation yourself stop here and request help at the workshop.)
  3. Open a terminal window.
  4. Type
    bash Anaconda3-
    and then press tab. The name of the file you just downloaded should appear. If it does not, navigate to the folder where you downloaded the file, for example with:
    cd Downloads
    Then, try again.
  5. Press enter. You will follow the text-only prompts. To move through the text, press the space key. Type yes and press enter to approve the license. Press enter to approve the default location for the files. Type yes and press enter to prepend Anaconda to your PATH (this makes the Anaconda distribution the default Python).
  6. Close the terminal window.