Eclipse Download and Installation
(for Python) Instructions

Install Python and Java before installing Eclipse.

You may want to print these instructions before proceeding, so that you can refer to them while downloading and installing Eclipse. Or, just keep this document in your browser. You should read each step completely before performing the action that it describes. This document shows downloading and installing Eclipse on Windows 7.

Eclipse: Version 4.2 (Juno)

The Eclipse download requires about 182 MB of disk space; keep it on your machine, in case you need to re-install Eclipse. When installed, Eclipse requires about an additional 220 MB of disk space.

Downloading

1. Click Eclipse

   You following page will appear in your browser. In this handout we will download Eclipse Classic 4.2 for Windows 32 Bit; if your computer uses Windows, continue below; otherwise look above the column of "green arrows" for the label Eclipse Juno (4.2) Packages for and in the pull-down list to its right, choose either Mac OS X (Cocoa) or Linux and then continue below.

   

2. Click the 32 Bit Operating System for your machine (even if you know your Operating System is 64 Bits and even if you downloaded the 64 Bit version of Python), under the heading Eclipse Classic 4.2 (182 MB) (the second icon from the top).

   You will see the following page (don't worry about the name of the institution to the right of the big downward pointing arrow).

   

3. Click the big downward pointing arrow underneath the Download eclipse-SDK-4.2-win32.zip from: The site named here, in purple to the right of the arrow: [United States] Georgia Tech Software Library (http) is the random one chosen by the download page this time.

   This file should start downloading in your standard download folder. This file is about 182 Mb so it might take a while to download fully if you are on a slow internet connection (it took me about 3 minutes over a cable modem). Don't worry about the exact time as long as the download continues to make steady progress.

   The file should appear as

   

   Terminate the window browsing the Eclipse download.

4. Move this file to a more permanent location, so that you can install Eclipse (and reinstall it later, if necessary).

5. Start the Installing instructions directly below.

Installing (for Python)

1. Unzip eclipse-SDK-4.2-win32.zip, the file that you just downloaded and moved.
   On my machine (running Windows 7), I can
   • Right-click the file.
   • Hover over the IZArc command from the menu of options.
   • Click Extract Here

   

   If you do not have IZArc or an equivalent unzipping program, here is the web site to download a free copy of IZarc.

   Unzipping this file creates a folder named eclipse. You can leave this folder here or move it elsewhere on your hard disk. I recommend putting the downloaded file and resulting folder in the C:\Program Files\ directory.

2. Create a shortcut on your desktop to the eclipse.exe file in this eclipse folder:
   On most Windows machines, you can
   • Right-press the file eclipse.exe
   • Drag it to the desktop.
   • Release the right button.
   • Click Create shortcut here

   Now you are ready to perform a one-time only setup of Eclipse on your machine.

3. Double-click the shortcut to Eclipse that you just created above.

   The following splash screen will appear

   

   and then a Workspace Launcher pop-up window will appear.

   

   In the Workspace text box, your login name should appear between C:\Users\ and \workspace, instead of Administrator.

   Leave unchecked the Use this as the default and do not ask again box. Although you will use this same workspace for the entire quarter (checking projects in and out of it), it is best to see this Workspace Launcher pop-up window each time you start Eclipse, to remind you where your workspace is located.

4. Click OK.

   Progress bars will appear as Eclipse loads.

   Eventually the Eclipse workbench will appear with a Welcome tab covering it.

   

5. Terminate (click X on) the Welcome tab.

   You will not see the Welcome tab when you start Eclipse after this first time.

6. Click Help (on the far right of the line below this window's blue title Java - Eclipse SDK) and then click Install New Software... in its pull-down menu, as shown below.

   

   The Install pop-up window will appear.

   

7. Enter the text (or cut/paste from this document and press the Enter key) http://pydev.org/updates into the Work with text box.

   In a few seconds the information under Name should change from
   There is no site selected to Pending to

   

   Select only the top PyDev checkbox; do NOT select the PyDev Mylyn Integration (optional) box.
   Check before proceeding that the Install pop-up window appears as

   

8. Click Next >

   A new Install pop-up window will appear.

   

9. Click Next >

   A new Install pop-up window will appear.

   Click the I accept the terms of the license agreement radio button, so the window appears as

   

10. Click Finish

    An Installing Software pop-up window will appear. During installation, it will show the various operations it is performing and a progress bar for each one.

    

    The installation will pause, and a Selection Needed pop-up window appears.

11. Check the box labeled Aptana Pydev; Pydev; Aptana.

    Check before proceeding that the Install pop-up window appears as

    

12. Click OK

    The installation will finish (showing the final progress bars).

    A Software Updates pop-up window will appear.

    

13. Click Restart Now

    Eclipse will terminate and restart. As you did in step 3, click OK to the Workspace Launcher pop-up window.

14. Click Window (to the left of Help on the far right of the line below this window's blue title Java - Eclipse SDK) and then click Preferences in its pull-down menu, as shown below.

    

15. Disclose PyDev by clicking the + in front of PyDev or double-clicking PyDev (after the +); the + changes to a -.
    Click Interpreter - Python.
    The Preferences pop-up window should appear as follows

    

16. Click New... at the top-right of the top window

    A Select Interpreter pop-up window appears.

    Type Python32 in the Interpreter Name text box.
    Type (or cut/paste) C:\Python32\python.exe in the Interpreter Executable text box (or browse to this file).
    The Select Interpreter pop-up window should appear as

    

17. Click OK.

    A Selection needed pop-up window will appear.

    

    Ensure that a check appears in every checkbox, except for the ones ending in PySrc and python32.zip (which may occur in different locations depending on what directories these files are in)

18. Click OK.

    The Preferences pop-up window will be changed to

    

19. Click OK.

    A Progress Information pop-up window will appear.

    

    During installation, it will show the various operations it is performing and a progress bar for each one. Eventually the installation will terminate.

20. Click Window (to the left of Help on the far right of the line below this window's blue title Java - Eclipse SDK), hover over Open Perspective in the pull-down menu and then click Other... in the next pull-down menu.

    

    The Open Perspective pop-up window will appear.

    

21. Double-click PyDev (fourth from the bottom)

    The blue label on the Eclipse window will change to PyDev - Eclipse SDK and a PyDev icon will appear to the right of the Java icon.

    

22. Right-click the Java icon to the left of the PyDev icon and select close

    

    The Eclipse workbench will now have only the PyDev icon here and will look like

    

23. Locate the workspace folder created in step 3 (see C:\Users\yourname\workspace) and put a new, empty folder named courselib into this workspace folder. From time to time you will be asked to put course-specific Python module files into this courselib folder; these modules will be useable in all Python projects in Eclipse.

24. Inform Eclipse to use the courselib folder in all Python projects.
    • Select Window | Preferences.
    • Disclose PyDev (if not already disclosed): click the + in front of PyDev or double-click PyDev (after the +)
    • Click Interpreter - Python.

      

    • Click the Libraries tab (leftmost, above the bottom pane)
    • Click the New Folder button (topmost, right of the bottom pane)
    • Browse to the courselib folder (added above) in the Browse for Folder pop-up window (C:\Users\yourname\workspace\courselib).
    • Click the courselib folder selected, and then click OK
    • Click Apply (you will see some progress bars)
      The pop-up window should now appear as

      

      Notice a fifth entry (ending in courselib appears at the bottom of the bottom pane named System PYTHONPATH

    • Cick OK

25. Terminate (click X on) the Eclipse window.