Intermediate Python

Initial Tasks:

• Course notes:
  • https://uomresearchit.github.io/programming_with_python
    
• To open these slides:
  • www.slides.com/douglowe/advanced-python-remote-teaching

Feedback

• Note: there is no attendance sheet - please complete the feedback instead
• Constructive comments and suggestions are very welcome
• If you would recommend the course, please feel free to tweet: @UoM_eResearch

Research-related IT Services

Our website is: https://research-it.manchester.ac.uk/

We provide:

• Training courses teaching computing skills for Research
• General guidance and advice about research software
• Access to specialist support and consultancy e.g. code reviews
• Access to High Performance Computing (HPC) systems
• Data storage and management
• Full list of services on offer

For help and support use the Support Centre

Housekeeping

• Rough Course timing
  • 09:30 -- 10:30
  • 11:00 -- 12:00
  • 13:00 -- 14:30
  • 15:00 -- 16:00

Aims of the day

• Strengthening python knowledge, oriented towards python numerical tools

• We will not teach all of Python or all data analysis with Python

• The aim is to teach you enough, so you know how to find out more

Course Schedule

1. Python Essentials Recap
2. Dictionaries
3. Numpy Essentials
4. Conda Package Management
5. Defensive Programming
6. Units & Quantities
7. Pandas Essential

Teaching methods

• Interactive workshop-style course
  • Based on Software Carpentry method
  • Type along with the examples
  • Test your understanding in the exercise sessions
• Course notes
  • All examples and exercises are in the notes
  • Slides will remain online after the course

Getting help

• Use the participants window to provide feedback
  • "raise hand" (to get help from a tutor)
  • "go slower" / "go faster"
  • "thumbs up" / "thumbs down"
• Please mute your microphones during the lesson
• But do interrupt me to ask questions (via mic or chat window)
• Peer learning
  • During exercises, please help each other as required

Creating your Workspace

• Launch Virtual Machine (see chat window for link)

  • Use firefox or chrome as your browser

  • Select the RDP connection
    

  • Select "standard setup" when prompted
    

• Course material is on the VM Desktop (in swc-python)
  

• Click the Jupyter icon on the desktop to start your notebook
  

Starting Jupyter Notebooks

Using Jupyter:

• Launch Terminal from the Start Menu

• Change to your working directory

  • cd [location]

• Start Jupyter program

  • jupyter notebook

  • (this will start a firefox instance - wait for this to load)

Starting Spyder

Using Spyder:

• Launch Terminal from the start menu

• install spyder (in a new environment) using conda:

  • conda create -n spyder spyder

• start new environment

  • . activate spyder

• start spyder

  • spyder