2 – Installation (Argus 2.1 on Python3.x)

Last tested on 2023-06-02 using a fully up-to-date Windows 10 Enterprise x64 install.

1. Download the Argus2023.zip file, unzip it, and move the resulting Argus2023.yaml file to your Desktop.
2. Download minimal Anaconda, aka miniconda from Continuum. Except in unusual circumstances you’ll want the latest 64bit Python 3.x installer. You can also use the full Anaconda environment though the download is much larger and installs many packages not needed for Argus.
3. Install Miniconda or Anaconda with the following options:
   1. Install for just me — yes
   2. Any install location should work, the default for Miniconda is c:\Users\<username>\miniconda3
   3. Create start menu shortcuts — yes
   4. Register as the default Python — yes
   5. Add to path — no
   6. Clear package cache — yes
4. Start an Anaconda Prompt from the Windows Start Menu, this produces a Windows command window with Anaconda enabled (i.e. in the path). In that window enter the commands listed below. In some cases conda will complete its operations but never completely exit; in this case some patience followed by a control-c will restore the prompt.
   1. Enter the following and hit Enter, one line at a time at the prompt. Be sure to wait for the prompt to return each time:
   2. cd Desktop

   3. conda env create -f Argus2023.yaml -n Argus

      • That last one might take a while. It will create an Anaconda “env” (i.e. environment) that contains the specific python and module versions to run Argus, plus Argus itself.
   4. To run Argus, at an Anaconda prompt:

      conda activate Argus

      Argus_win.py

   5. If the above step starts Argus, great – you’re done. If instead you’re prompted to browse for an App in the Microsoft store, close that prompt window and follow the additional instructions below:
      1. Open a Windows Explorer window and brows to Argus_win.py, installed in C:\Users\<username>\miniconda3\envs\Argus\Scripts if you followed the above instructions
      2. Right click on Argus_win.py
      3. Choose “Open with”
      4. Choose “More apps”
      5. Choose “Look for another app on this PC” (at the bottom of the app list)
      6. Find pythonw.exe from in the Anaconda Argus environment, e.g. C:\Users\<username>\miniconda3\envs\Argus\pythonw.exe and choose it
      7. Now double-clicking Argus_win.py should start the Argus button bar, as should the method using the Anaconda prompt described above
5. Please contact us if you run into problems so we can help you and refine these instructions!

Last tested on 2023-06-02 using an Apple Silicon M1 Mac mini (2020). These instructions are likely to work on earlier macOS versions and hardware. If you try it, and it works, please let us know! These instructions install the Intel x86 version of Miniconda even on Apple Silicon Macs; this is because Argus uses some older pre-compiled Python components that are not available for Apple Silicon. We’re working on creating an Apple Silicon native version, but until then the Intel x86 version is reasonably performant.

1. Download the Argus2023.zip file, unzip it, and move the resulting Argus2023.yaml file to your Desktop.
2. Download minimal Anaconda, aka miniconda from Continuum. Except in unusual circumstances you’ll want the latest Python 3.x installer for macOS Intel x86 pkg. You can also use the full Anaconda environment though the download is much larger and installs many packages not needed for Argus.
   • If you have an older miniconda installation, you may need to uninstall-reinstall. This is as simple as deleting the miniconda folder and re-running the installer.
3. Start a terminal window. If the miniconda install finished correctly you will see “(base)” at the start of the command prompt.This is good! Enter the following lines exactly one at a time, hit enter after each, and agree to any questions posed.

cd ~/Desktop

conda env create -f Argus2023.yaml -n Argus

That last one might take a while. It will create an Anaconda “env” that contains the specific python and module versions to run Argus, plus Argus itself.

1. To run Argus, open a terminal window, and:

   conda activate Argus

   argus

This install recipe has not been tested recently.

1. Download the Argus2023.zip file, unzip it, and move the Argus2023.yaml file inside the zip archive to your Desktop.
2. Download minimal Anaconda, aka miniconda from Continuum. Except in unusual circumstances you’ll want the latest 64bit Python 3.x installer. You can also use the full Anaconda environment though the download is much larger and installs many packages not needed for Argus.
3. In a terminal, run the following one line at a time:

   1. cd ~/Desktop
      

      conda env create -f Argus2023.yaml -n Argus

      sudo apt-get install libatlas3-base
      # or (whichever works)
      sudo apt-get install libopenblas-base

4. To run Argus, open a terminal window, and:

   conda activate Argus

   argus

5. If you get an error, you likely need to do the following:
6. As an administrator (or root) & with your specific paths [likely changes in magenta]: sudo cp /home/whatever/argus_env/lib/python3.5/site-packages/argus_gui_version/argus_gui/resources/*so /usr/local/lib/
7. As an administrator: sudo ldconfig