This folder contains install scripts for Larch.   These include:

 1. conda_constructor - A folder with configuration files and resources
    to build stand-alone installers for Windows, MacOSX, and Linux.
   
 2. GetLarch.sh -  A shell script for installing on Linux/MacOSX, with
    some command-line arguments.

 3. GetLarch.bat - A Windows batch file for for installing on Windows,
    no command-line arguments.

The two GetLarch scripts use the same approach to install an "xraylarch"
folder in the users home directory that contains a complete, isolated Python
environment for Larch.

For those who might want to modify this process, say to install on a shared
machine or install using a different version of Python, in more detail this
process does:
   

 1. Download and install a Miniconda Python ("latest version",  which is
    Python 3.8 as of this writing) to the "xraylarch" folder in your home
    directory.  This gives a dedicated Python environment.

 2. Run "conda update --all" for this environment.

 3. Select and install a few packages from the "conda-forge" conda channel,
    including wxPython and TomoPy which are not available for all platforms
    on PyPI, and "python.app" on MacOSX.

 4. Install xraylarch from PyPI, which will also pull any missing dependencies
    from PyPI.

For the Linux/MacOSX installer, there are options for changing the "prefix" for
the installation directory (default is $HOME/xraylarch) and for selecting whether
wxPython and/or TomoPY are installed.

Note that wxPython is not required to use the Larch library, but all
the graphical user interfaces and code for plotting and data
visualization in Larch use wxPython.

Similarly, TomoPy is also not required except for tomographic
reconstructions of X-ray fluorescence tomography data.  That is, if
you are using Larch only for its XAFS, XRF, and XRF imaging tools, you
do not need TomoPy.

If you are interested in installing Larch in some way other than for
an individual user, say on a Linux or MacOSX server, this shell script
may be useful as a template.
    

2021-April-21

    
