A brief and biased introduction to
python
Ch. Morisset, IA-UNAM
History
●
1991 : Guido van Rossum started to worked on
Python
●
1996 : Numerical python, precursor of Numpy.
●
2003 : Matplotlib, MATLAB-like interface.
How to get python ?
●
Most of the OS have some python installed, but
not the scientific libraries.
●
The best is to use a package that includes
everything you need (and more…).
●
Anaconda is one of them. It includes the former
STSCI Ureka project, pyRAF is an option.
●
It leaves in a single directory, easy to remove.
Which python version ?
●
There are 2 main versions of python currently
used :
– Python 2 : 2.7 latest subversion, maintained till 2020
– Python 3 : 3.6 most recent.
●
PB : no backward compatibility…
●
Main painful difference : strings.
●
Best to learn python 3, all the major libraries are
py3-compliant.
Multiple versions of python
●
Using conda, one can create different
« environments » : each one being a full python
installation.
●
Creation of a new environment :
– conda create --name py3k python=3 astropy
●
Switching is as easy as (from bash only) :
– source activate py3k
Growing python
●
The amount of libraries is huge.
– Anaconda installing facility:
● conda install astropy
– Pip installing facility (from PyPI - the Python
Package Index) :
● pip install pyneb
– From github (e.g. devel version):
● pip install -U git+https://github.com/Morisset/PyNeb_devel.git
Running python
●
Interactive : ipython
– Completion
– History
– Magic commands
●
Running scripts
– %run test # executing test.py
– import library
– test.py ; from Linux prompt
Notebooks
●
Esthetic way of gathering script and results,
including tables and figures.
●
Executable
●
Python lectures, PyNeb manual, pyCloudy
sample scripts and Cloudy School examples.
●
https://github.com/Morisset/Python-lectures-Notebooks
Indispensable libraries
●
Numpy : vectorisation
●
Matplotlib : plotting facilities
●
Scipy : scientific tools
●
Astropy : astronomical tools
●
Pandas : tables
Object Oriented Programing
●
Very powerful way of programing.
●
Object = smart container with variables (attributes)
and functions (methods)
●
Class definition and object instantiations.
●
All objects of the same class share the same
methods and properties, but can have different
values for the attributes.
●
As many objects from the same class as one want.
Help
●
The python community is very active.
●
Somebody already had your problem, and
somebody already solved it ; just find the words
to describe it
●
StackOverflow is THE site where to look for a
solution.
