Skillshare intro to Python/Unit 1/OSX text editor: Difference between revisions

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If you need help or have questions during installation, don't hesitate to ask!

Installing Smultron

On OSX, a good free text editor is Smultron.

To download and install Smultron:

Click and download http://sourceforge.net/projects/smultron/
Open the downloaded file from your Downloads directory or the Download bar in your web browser
Drag the icon (it looks like a top-down view of a tomato) to your Dock for easy access

To run Smultron:

Double-click the Smultron icon from your Dock.

Configure Smultron to indent with spaces

Start up Smultron, and click Smultron -> Preferences. This will pop up a preferences window.
Click on the Advanced tab, and then on the Really Advanced tab within that tab.
Check the "Indent with spaces, not tabs" checkbox
Close the Preferences window.

That's it! Now, you can press Tab to indent your code, and that indentation will actually be made of spaces. We do this because Python doesn't like it when we mix tabs and spaces.

Success!

Now you have an editor that you can use to open any text file, including Python programs.

« Back to the Unit 1 main page

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+[[File:Quill.png|100px]]
-== Our recommendation ==
+If you need help or have questions during installation, [[Skillshare intro to Python/Asking questions| don't hesitate to ask]]!
-On Mac OS, we suggest the Smultron text editor. You'll have to first download it, then install it.
-To download Smultron:
+== Installing Smultron ==
+On OSX, a good free text editor is Smultron.
-* Click [http://voxel.dl.sourceforge.net/project/smultron/smultron/3.5.1/Smultron-3.5.1.zip this link and download the ZIP file]
-* The ZIP file will expand into an application called Smultron.
-* Open Finder from the bar at the bottom.
-To install Smultron:
+To download and install Smultron:
+* Click and download http://sourceforge.net/projects/smultron/
-* Start Finder
+* Open the downloaded file from your Downloads directory or the Download bar in your web browser
-* On the left side of the Finder, under "Places", click on "Applications".
-* Drag the Smultron icon to any blank space in that window.
+* Drag the icon (it looks like a top-down view of a tomato) to your Dock for easy access
 To run Smultron:
+* Double-click the Smultron icon from your Dock.
-* Start Finder
-* On the left side of the Finder, under "Places", click on "Applications".
-* In the middle column, scroll down to to find Smultron.
-* Double-click Smultron to launch the editor.
-== If you run into trouble with Smultron ==
-If you can't run the version of Smultron we recommend, try the older version [http://voxel.dl.sourceforge.net/project/smultron/smultron/3.1.2/Smultron-3.1.2.zip 3.1.2 of Smultron]. We've tested that it runs properly on Mac OS 10.4 on PowerPC and Intel.
 == Configure Smultron to indent with spaces ==
@@ Line 33: / Line 24: @@
 * Close the Preferences window.
-That's it! Now, you can hit tab to indent your code, and that indentation will actually be made of spaces. This change will help you use spaces consistently, so that Python doesn't get confused about whitespace.
+That's it! Now, you can press Tab to indent your code, and that indentation will actually be made of spaces. We do this because Python doesn't like it when we mix tabs and spaces.
 == Success! ==
@@ Line 39: / Line 30: @@
 Now you have an editor that you can use to open any text file, including Python programs.
+[[File:Champagne.png|100px]][[File:Party.png|125px]]
-If you prefer a different editor for text, check with an instructor before moving on to make sure it will work for the weekend.
 [[Skillshare intro to Python/Unit 1|&laquo; Back to the Unit 1 main page]]