February 27, 2005

Aggravated George: Biopython I need to install BioPython on my powerbook, OS 10.3.8 for use with MacPython. I've read the installation instructions but I'm still just getting use to macs and have no idea where to find directories etc. HELP! I'll send my famous banana walnut chocolate chip cookies to the first person whose advice leads to a successful installation!
posted by a22lamia 19 years ago
  • OK, I've looked at the instructions and it should be pretty straightforward. It wants you to download and install python, mxTextTools, Numerical Python, and Biopython in that order. When you download each of the packages to your desktop it's downloading them to "~/Desktop", so you could go in to terminal and type "cd Desktop" and then follow the instructions starting in section 2.1 that start "$ gunzip Python-2.4.tgz" You don't type the "$ ", that's the prompt. Depending on how your mac is configured, Stuffit Expander may have already done the gunzip and tar steps. If so, you can skip those two lines. For Python itself, it's a very standard UNIX-y install /configure make sudo-s <--this is where you swich to "root" to install make install once you've done this, it gets easier, because the other pieces follow the same steps to get into the directory, then they use the command "python setup.py build" followed by "python setup.py install" after it's all done, type "exit" to stop being root. Then you can test your install using the method in chapter 5 of the install guide. good luck, and let me know if it does anything funky.
  • MC beat me to it. Those instructions should set you up nicely though.
  • Please note the typo "/configure" should read "./configure". Also, on 10.3.8, I have pythone 2.3 pre-installed. I didn't see anything which stated a required version of python, so you may be able to proceed even if the python install fails.
  • thank you for the help, but, pmdboi, my knight in shining armor wins. Two plus hours leading me by the hand on AIM - Thank you!!!!!
  • that's ok, it may help another monkey and I don't really like bananas... glad you're up and running.