2 – Installation (Argus 2.1 on Python3.x)

The instructions below are recommended for the easiest installation of Python and Argus (and what it depends on).

Windows
Mac OS
Linux

Please scroll to the bottom for some installation troubleshooting help, and instructions on updating Argus.

We now recommend using Anaconda python environment for installations on all platforms. For non-Anaconda installations, please see the alternative installation instructions. However, those techniques are not well tested, and some are outdated – your experience may vary.

 

Windows

Windows 10 and likely other versions

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!

 

Mac OS

For macOS 13.4 (Ventura) and possibly earlier versions

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

 

Linux

Ubuntu 16.04+

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

 

Potential Problems and Solutions:

After following all of the directions above, you may still run in to problems.  We have run into many and provide some of our solutions here:

All Platforms:

If your installations seemed to go well, but Argus will not start, starting Argus from within Python may fix the issue, or at least provide more information about what is wrong.  From your command line (Anaconda prompt in Windows, Terminal on a Mac or Linux):

conda activate Argus
python
import argus_gui as ag

Then open one of the GUI windows with one of the following (capitalization pattern matters):

ag.ClickerGUI()
ag.WandGUI()
ag.syncGUI()
ag.dwarpGUI()
ag.calibrateGUI()
ag.patternsGUI()

And use the GUI as you normally would. That may trigger an additional software installation, or you may see error print back to the command line. If it gives an error, please copy and paste the text of that command window, along with details of your operating system when you contact us.

Mac:

1. If Argus seems to take forever to load (5-10 minutes) on an otherwise healthy computer after typing Argus in Terminal, first run a quick test. Enter python3 and enter in Terminal, and at the command line prompt type import cv2. If it takes more than 30 seconds for the >>> to reappear, something is slowing python down. One potential fix (which can also work to speed up generally slow macs), is to clean out installed fonts. Open the application FontBook, go to File > Restore Standard Fonts, and agree to the dialogues. Reboot your computer, and try to start Argus. If it is now faster, you can add back your other fonts if you need them.

Updating Argus:

The Argus package goes through regular maintenance and bug fixes, and occasional feature updates. 

To update to the most stable version, open your command line or terminal, and enter the following one line at a time:

conda activate Argus

pip install --upgrade git+https://github.com/kilmoretrout/argus_gui.git

IF you are comfortable on the command line, you can also access test branches available at the GitHub repo by adding @branchname to the end of the git path above e.g.:

pip install --upgrade git+https://github.com/kilmoretrout/argus_gui.git@featureBranch

Generic Argus 2 requirements are Python 3.x with the following:

numpy, pandas, python-dateutil, pytz, matplotlib, tornado, backports.ssl-mat-hostname, singledispatch, six, certifi, backports-abc, pyparsing, nose, pyglet, moviepy, decorator, imageio, tqdm, Pmw, texttable, pygarrayimage, sba (python-sba), audioread, psutil, argus, scipy, pykalman, requests