To execute any of the data collection tools that have been written in Python, you will need to set up a python.

Windows Instructions

1. Install Python 2.7
   • Install version 2.7 using the appropriate installer from this link:  https://www.python.org/downloads/
2. Install Microsoft Visual C++ Python Compiler:
   • Download and double-click to install using this link:  Microsoft Visual C++ Compiler for Python 2.7
3. Set PATH environment variable manually to execute python or pip.
   • On the command prompt, run: set PATH=%PATH%;C:\Python27;C:\Python27\Scripts        (Note: Running the set command will only set the environment variable for the current shell)
   • If you would like to set your PATH variable permanently and need help on how to do this, here is a pretty good video: Set Windows PATH for Python
4. Check that Python and pip are properly installed:

• Run python -V and pip -V from a command prompt. You should see the versions of each program displayed.

Linux/Mac Requirements

1. Python 2.7 installed.
   • Python ships with your system.  In the terminal, run python -V to check that you are running python 2.7 or above.

Installation Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Python?
  • Python is one of the most popular programming languages in use today. Some of its most popular applications include bioinformatics and data science. Many popular applications use Python, such as AWS and Ansible.
• What is the "Microsoft Visual C++ Python Compiler" and why do I need it if the program is written in Python?
  • Some of the data tools access systems using SSH. In order to do this , certain cryptography libraries that Python depends on to perform SSH need to be natively compiled on your host system. If you are using a Windows machine, the program that does this is the Microsoft Visual C++ Compiler for Python.
• Why do I need to set the PATH variable?
  • Setting the PATH environment variable lets your computer know where to look to find the Python modules that will be used to execute any Python programs.