RL Bootcamp Tutorial Installation Guide

Questions: simon.hirlaender@plus.ac.at or ida.sarl.plus@gmail.com.

Welcome to the RL Bootcamp Tutorial! This guide will help you set up a Python environment using requirements.txt to ensure you have all the necessary dependencies to run the tutorials smoothly. Follow the steps below to get started.

Table of Contents

• Prerequisites
• Step 1: Install Python 3.11.9 or Higher
  • On Windows
  • On macOS
• Step 2: Clone the Repository
• Step 3: Create a Virtual Environment
• Step 4: Activate the Virtual Environment
  • On Windows
  • On macOS/Linux
• Step 5: Install Dependencies
• Step 6: Verify the Installation
• Step 7: Deactivate the Virtual Environment
• Troubleshooting
• Further Assistance
• Contributing and Error Reporting

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed on your system:

• Git: Install Git
• Python 3.11.9 or higher: Download Python
• pip: Comes bundled with Python. Verify installation with pip --version

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Step 1: Install Python 3.11.9 or Higher

On Windows

1. Download the Python Installer:

   • Visit the Python Downloads for Windows page.
   • Download the latest Python 3.11.x installer (e.g., python-3.11.9-amd64.exe).

2. Run the Installer:

   • Locate the downloaded .exe file and double-click to run it.
   • Important: Check the box that says Add Python 3.11 to PATH.
   • Click on Install Now.
   • Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

3. Verify the Installation:

   • Open Command Prompt (Win + R, type cmd, and press Enter).
   • Run:

     python --version

     You should see:

     Python 3.11.9
     

On macOS

1. Download the Python Installer:

   • Visit the Python Downloads for macOS page.
   • Download the latest Python 3.11.x installer (e.g., python-3.11.9-macosx10.9.pkg).

2. Run the Installer:

   • Locate the downloaded .pkg file and double-click to run it.
   • Follow the installation prompts, agreeing to the license and selecting the installation location.

3. Verify the Installation:

   • Open Terminal (Command + Space, type Terminal, and press Enter).
   • Run:

     python3 --version

     You should see:

     Python 3.11.9
     

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Step 2: Clone the Repository

Clone the RL Bootcamp Tutorial repository to your local machine using Git.

1. Open Terminal or Command Prompt.

2. Run the Clone Command:

   git clone https://github.com/SARL-PLUS/RL_bootcamp_2024_tutorial.git

3. Navigate to the Project Directory:

   cd RL_bootcamp_2024_tutorial

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Step 3: Create a Virtual Environment

Creating a virtual environment isolates your project's dependencies from other Python projects on your system.

1. Run the Following Command:

   python3 -m venv venv

   • Explanation:
     • python3: Specifies the Python interpreter. Use python if python3 is not recognized.
     • -m venv: Uses the venv module to create a virtual environment.
     • venv: The name of the virtual environment directory. You can name it differently if preferred.

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Step 4: Activate the Virtual Environment

Before installing dependencies, activate the virtual environment.

On Windows

1. Run the Activation Script:

   venv\Scripts\activate

2. Confirmation:

   • Your command prompt should now be prefixed with (venv) indicating that the virtual environment is active.

     (venv) C:\Path\To\RL_bootcamp_2024_tutorial>
     

On macOS/Linux

1. Run the Activation Script:

   source venv/bin/activate

2. Confirmation:

   • Your terminal prompt should now be prefixed with (venv) indicating that the virtual environment is active.

     (venv) your-mac:RL_bootcamp_2024_tutorial user$
     

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Step 5: Install Dependencies

With the virtual environment activated, install the required Python packages using the requirements.txt file.

pip install -r requirements.txt

• Notes:
  • Ensure that the requirements.txt file is present in the project directory.
  • This command installs all packages listed in requirements.txt into the virtual environment.

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Step 6: Verify the Installation

To confirm that all dependencies are installed correctly, list the installed packages.

pip list

Expected Output:

A list of installed packages along with their versions, matching those specified in requirements.txt.

Package         Version
--------------- -------
numpy           1.23.1
pandas          1.4.2
...

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Step 7: Deactivate the Virtual Environment

After you're done working with the project, you can deactivate the virtual environment.

deactivate

• Your command prompt will return to its usual state without the (venv) prefix.

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Troubleshooting

• pip Not Found:

  • Ensure that the virtual environment is activated.
  • Verify that Python and pip are correctly installed and added to your system's PATH.

• Permission Issues:

  • Avoid using sudo with pip. Instead, use a virtual environment.
  • If necessary, add the --user flag:

    pip install --user -r requirements.txt

• Virtual Environment Activation Issues:

  • macOS/Linux:

    • Ensure that the activation script has execute permissions.
    • If you encounter a "permission denied" error, run:

      chmod +x venv/bin/activate

  • Windows:

    • If you receive an execution policy error, open PowerShell as an administrator and run:

      Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

    • Then, try activating the virtual environment again.

• Incompatible Python Version:

  • Ensure that the active Python interpreter is 3.11.9 or higher.
  • You can specify the Python version when creating the virtual environment:

    python3.11 -m venv venv

    Replace python3.11 with the path to the desired Python executable if necessary.

• Missing requirements.txt:

  • Ensure that you are in the correct project directory.
  • If requirements.txt is missing, you may need to generate it or obtain it from the repository.

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Further Assistance

• Official Python Documentation: https://docs.python.org/3/
• Git Documentation: https://git-scm.com/doc
• Virtual Environments (venv): https://docs.python.org/3/library/venv.html
• Pip Documentation: https://pip.pypa.io/en/stable/
• Community Support:
  • Stack Overflow
  • Python Discord
  • GitHub Discussions

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Contributing and Error Reporting

We appreciate your interest in improving the RL Bootcamp Tutorial. Your contributions and feedback are valuable to us. If you encounter any issues, have suggestions, or wish to contribute to the project, please follow the guidelines below.

Reporting Errors

• GitHub Issues:

  • Navigate to the GitHub Issues page of the repository.
  • Click on "New Issue" and provide a descriptive title and detailed information about the error.
  • Include steps to reproduce the issue, screenshots, and any relevant logs.

• Email Support:

  • You can also report errors directly via email:
    • simon.hirlaender@plus.ac.at
    • ida.sarl.plus@gmail.com
  • Please include detailed information about the issue and any supporting documents.

Contributing to the Project

• Fork the Repository:

  • Click on the "Fork" button on the repository's GitHub page to create a copy under your account.

• Create a Feature Branch:

  • Clone your forked repository to your local machine.

    git clone https://github.com/your-username/RL_bootcamp_2024_tutorial.git

  • Navigate to the project directory:

    cd RL_bootcamp_2024_tutorial

  • Create a new branch for your feature or bug fix.

    git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name

• Make Your Changes:

  • Implement your changes or additions.
  • Ensure your code follows the project's coding standards and includes appropriate documentation.

• Commit and Push:

  • Commit your changes with a descriptive message.

    git commit -m "Add feature XYZ"

  • Push the branch to your forked repository.

    git push origin feature/your-feature-name

• Submit a Pull Request:

  • Navigate to the original repository and click on "New Pull Request".
  • Select your branch and provide a detailed description of your changes.

• Code Review:

  • Your pull request will be reviewed by the maintainers.
  • Be prepared to make revisions based on feedback.

Code of Conduct

• Please adhere to the project's Code of Conduct when interacting with the community.
• Be respectful, inclusive, and considerate in all communications.

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Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further assistance!