3106FNDET Programming.

Windows 10: Setting Up Python and Visual Studio Code

1 Setting up Python and Visual Studio Code

This document aims to help you set up the same development environment on your Personal
Computer (PC) as you will use on Department of Computer Science lab computers.
1. Download and Installation of the Python (Version 3) Language
2. Download and Installation of Visual Studio Code on Windows
1.1 Download and Installation of the Python (Version 3) Language
At the time of writing, Python has two language version releases:
Python 2.7.18 Python 3.9.1
Python saw a core language overhaul when it released version 3 of the language. Version 2
is still there to temporarily support systems that utilise it, but 2.7 will be the last version of
this branch of the Python language; developers have been advised to migrate to version 3 in
the meantime. Python version 3 is the language we will be learning to code with on this
module.
1.1.1 Downloading and Installing Python on Windows

While the images below show an older Python 3 version number, simply follow the
instructions and download the latest Python 3 version from python.org

In a browser, go to the following site:

https://www.python.org/

Click
here:

Andy Symons 2020/21

 3106FNDET Programming. Windows 10: Setting Up Python and Visual Studio Code

Click
on
here:

This will start a download of the language installation package. Once the download has
completed, execute it to install the language. Once started, you will see the following dialog
window appear:

1: Tick this
checkbox to
enable it:

2: Then click
here:

3: Click
‘Next’:

Andy Symons 2020/21

3106FNDET Programming. Windows 10: Setting Up Python and Visual Studio Code

4: Ensure all
the boxes
are ticked

5: Click ‘Install’

If you get a security prompt, allow the installer to alter the file system.
Open a command window to test that the install worked. The windows command line is
available via the ‘cmd.exe’ application. Click on the Cortana area of the task bar

or, on the Magnifying Glass area of the task bar, depending upon which is enabled.

Now type ‘cmd.exe’ in that area and you should see something like the following appear:

Click on this one

(With this exact label)

cmd

This will start the ‘cmd.exe.’ application which will look something like:

Andy Symons 2020/21

3106FNDET Programming. Windows 10: Setting Up Python and Visual Studio Code

The arrow above points to the command prompt. This is where you can type in your
commands.

Now type in the following and press the ‘Enter’ (Return) key:
python -V
If all has been installed properly, this will produce something like:

1.2 Download and Installation of Microsoft Visual Studio Code

Go to the following site:
https://code.visualstudio.com/download

Andy Symons 2020/21

3106FNDET Programming. Windows 10: Setting Up Python and Visual Studio Code

Click on the ’64 bit’ Windows System Installer to download VS Code. Once downloaded, run
the installer, giving it the necessary permissions.
Simply click the ‘Next’ button at each of the installation wizard dialog steps and finally ‘Install’.
Once complete, Visual Studio Code will automatically start and you will see something like:

You should now watch the tutorial.

Andy Symons 2020/21