Python & pip Windows installation

A recurring problem encountered by beginners trying to use the nfl* family of modules (nflgame,nfldb,nflvid,nflfan) is simply in getting their Python environment properly configured.

These notes all originate from various issue conversations throughout the referenced repositories.

Python install

At the time of this writing, nfl* is Python 2.* compatible. This could be/probably will be changing in the future (spring 2015?).

Installation of Python itself should be fairly straight-forward.

• Download and execute the latest Python 2.* installation package from here.
  At the time of this writing, Python 2.7.8 is the latest.
  While either 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x86-64) versions should work just fine, I tend to gravitate to 32-bit installs as I have encountered other libraries/modules in the past that only offered 32-bit versions. I have no idea if those modules that pushed me to 32-bit in the past still do not support 64-bit, but I'm a creature of habit.
• Verify a successful installation by opening a command prompt window and navigating to your Python installation directory (default is C:\Python27). Type python from this location to launch the Python interpreter.

  Microsoft Windows [Version 6.2.9200]
  (c) 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
  
  C:\Users\Username>cd C:\Python27
  
  C:\Python27>python
  Python 2.7.8 (default, Jun 30 2014, 16:03:49) [MSC v.1500 32 bit (Intel)] on win
  32
  Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
  >>>
  

• It would be nice to be able to run Python from any location without having to constantly reference the full installation path name. This can by done by adding the Python installation path to Windows' PATH ENVIRONMENT VARIABLE
  *In Windows 7 and Windows 8, simply searching for "environment variables" will present the option to Edit the system environment variables. This will open the System Properties / Advanced tab
  *In Windows XP, right click on My Computer->Properties to open System Properties and click on the Advanced tab.

1. On the System Properties / Advanced tab, click Environment Variables to open User Variables and System Variables

2. Create a new System Variable named Variable name: PYTHON_HOME and Variable value: c:\Python27 (or whatever your installation path was)
   

3. Find the system variable called Path and click Edit
   

4. Add the following text to the end of the Variable value: ;%PYTHON_HOME%\;%PYTHON_HOME%\Scripts\

   

5. Verify a successful environment variable update by opening a new command prompt window (important!) and typing python from any location

   Microsoft Windows [Version 6.2.9200]
   (c) 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
   
   C:\Users\Username>python
   Python 2.7.8 (default, Jun 30 2014, 16:03:49) [MSC v.1500 32 bit (Intel)] on win
   32
   Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
   >>>
   

Pip install

The easiest way to install the nfl* python modules and keep them up-to-date is with a Python-based package manager called Pip

There are many methods for getting Pip installed, but my preferred method is the following:

• Download get-pip.py to a folder on your computer. Open a command prompt window and navigate to the folder containing get-pip.py. Then run python get-pip.py. This will install pip.
• Verify a successful installation by opening a command prompt window and navigating to your Python installation's script directory (default is C:\Python27\Scripts). Type pip freeze from this location to launch the Python interpreter.
  pip freeze displays the version number of all modules installed in your Python non-standard library; On a fresh install, pip freeze probably won't have much info to show but we're more interested in any errors that might pop up here than the actual content

  Microsoft Windows [Version 6.2.9200]
  (c) 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
  
  C:\Users\Username>cd c:\Python27\Scripts
  
  c:\Python27\Scripts>pip freeze
  antiorm==1.1.1
  enum34==1.0
  requests==2.3.0
  virtualenv==1.11.6
  

• It would be nice to be able to run Pip from any location without having to constantly reference the full installation path name. If you followed the Python installation instructions above, then you've already got the pip install location (default = C:\Python27\Scripts) in your Windows' PATH ENVIRONMENT VARIABLE. If you did not follow those steps, refer to them above now.
• Verify a successful environment variable update by opening a new command prompt window (important!) and typing pip freeze from any location

  Microsoft Windows [Version 6.2.9200]
  (c) 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
  
  C:\Users\Username>pip freeze
  antiorm==1.1.1
  enum34==1.0
  requests==2.3.0
  virtualenv==1.11.6