### Navigation

- ☰
- PyTecplot-0.7 »

# Installation

- Python and Tecplot
  - Package Installer
- Windows
  - Standard Installation
  - Installing from Local Source
  - Installing Without Administrative Priveleges
  - Optional Dependencies
  - Environment Setup
  - Updating
- Linux
  - Standard Installation
  - Installing from Local Source
  - Installing Without Root Access
  - Optional Dependencies
  - Environment Setup
  - Updating
- Mac OSX
  - Standard Installation
  - Installing from Local Source
  - Installing Without Root Access
  - Optional Dependencies
  - Environment Setup
  - Updating
  - System Integrity Protection (SIP)
- Troubleshooting
- Version Information

## Python and Tecplot

PyTecplot is supported on 64 bit Python versions 2.7 and 3.4+. PyTecplot does not support 32 bit Python. Interacting with the Tecplot Engine requires a valid Tecplot 360 EX installation and Tecplot 360 EX License. Visit http://www.tecplot.com for more information about purchasing Tecplot 360 EX.

For all platforms, the Tecplot 360 EX application must be run once to establish a licensing method. This will be used when running any script which uses the python tecplot module.

### Package Installer

It is recommended to use pip to install PyTecplot, along with all of the dependencies, from Python’s official PyPI servers. The installer, pip, is a python module that can be executed directly (from a console) and is part of the core modules that come with recent version of Python. Please refer to pip’s documentation for information if you have issues using pip.

Depending on the options you set when installing Python, you may already have the folder containing pip in your `PATH` environment variable. If this is the case, then you may use pip directly instead of prepending it with `python -m` like we show in the following commands.

If you can not get pip installed and you are running Python version 2.7, you may be able to install it with `easy_install` from within a command console:

    easy_install pip

You will likely need administrative privileges to run the above command. If you still do not have pip installed, this installation guide may help.

## Windows

Note

We recommend using the latest version of Python (64 bit) with Windows since it comes with pip and will require the least amount of post-install configuration. The default version of Python presented to Windows users is 32 bit which will not work with PyTecplot. You will have to navigate Python’s download page to find the “x86-64” version.

### Standard Installation

Once Python is installed along with the pip module, you may install PyTecplot from Python’s official PyPI servers by opening a command console and running the following command with administrative privileges if needed:

    python -m pip install pytecplot

### Installing from Local Source

For those with a restricted internet connection, PyTecplot ships with Tecplot 360 EX and can be found under the `pytecplot` directory. You may run pip from within this directory to install pytecplot as follows. Note that “[VERSION]” should be replaced with the installed version of Tecplot 360 EX and the use of ”.” indicates the current working directory:

    cd "C:\Program Files\Tecplot\Tecplot 360 EX [VERSION]\pytecplot"
    python -m pip install .

### Installing Without Administrative Priveleges

If you get a “permission denied” error, this likely means you are attempting to install PyTecplot into a system-controlled Python package directory. If this is what you want to do, then you must open the command console with administrative privileges. Alternatively, you may wish to install PyTecplot into your user-space or home directory. This can be done by add the option `--user` to the install step (see the output of the command `python -m pip help` for details):

    python -m pip install --user pytecplot

### Optional Dependencies

All required dependencies will be installed along with PyTecplot. There are optional dependencies such as Numpy and IPython which you may want to install as well. These can be installed by appending `[extras]` to the installation command:

    python -m pip install pytecplot[extras]

### Environment Setup

Depending on the options you selected when installing Tecplot 360 EX, you may need to setup your environment so PyTecplot can find the dynamic libraries associated with the engine. If Tecplot 360 EX‘s bin directory is not already in the system’s `PATH` list, you will have to add it and make sure it is before any other Tecplot 360 EX installation. With a standard installation of Tecplot 360 EX, the path is usually something like the following. Again, “[VERSION]” should be replaced with the installed version of Tecplot 360 EX:

    "C:\Program Files\Tecplot\Tecplot 360 EX [VERSION]\bin"

To view the current path, run the following command in the command console:

    echo %PATH%

To edit it globally for all consoles you will have to navigate to “Control Panel” -> “System” -> “Advanced System Settings” -> “Environment Variables”. From there, you should find the `PATH` environment variable, edit it, and click “OK”; no reboot is required. After changing the `PATH`, be sure to close and re-open your console window.

### Updating

To update PyTecplot after you have already installed it once, you run the same installation command with the option `--upgrade`. For example:

    python -m pip install --upgrade pytecplot

When installing a new version of Tecplot 360 EX, you must ensure that the `PATH` environment variable gets updated accordingly.

## Linux

Note

We recommend using the operating system’s package manager to install and update Python along with pip. Once this is done, you can use `sudo pip` to manage the installation of system-wide python modules.

### Standard Installation

Once Python is installed along with the pip module, you may install PyTecplot from Python’s official PyPI servers by running the following command with root privileges (sudo) if needed:

    pip install pytecplot

### Installing from Local Source

For those with a restricted internet connection, PyTecplot ships with Tecplot 360 EX and can be found under the `pytecplot` directory. You may run pip from within this directory to install pytecplot as follows. Note the use of ”.” indicates the current working directory:

    cd /path/to/tecplot360/pytecplot
    pip install .

### Installing Without Root Access

If you get a “permission denied” error, this likely means you are attempting to install PyTecplot into a system-controlled Python package directory. If this is what you want to do, then you must prepend the above pip command with sudo. Alternatively, you may wish to install PyTecplot into your user-space or home directory. This can be done by add the option `--user` to the install step (see the output of the command `pip help` for details):

    pip install --user pytecplot

### Optional Dependencies

All required dependencies will be installed along with PyTecplot. There are optional dependencies such as Numpy and IPython which you may want to install as well. These can be installed by appending `[extras]` to the installation command:

    pip install pytecplot[extras]

### Environment Setup

Once installed, you will need to setup your environment so PyTecplot can find the dynamic libraries associated with the engine. Tecplot 360 EX ships with an environment script that, by default, outputs the appropriate shell commands to update the appropriate environment variables. Typical useage is to pass the output to the built-in shell command `eval`:

    eval `/path/to/tecplot360/bin/tec360-env`

At this point PyTecplot should be configured for use and you may try running the “hello world” example. If for some reason the `tec360-env` script fails to work, you may add by hand the `bin` and `bin/sys` directories to the dynamic library loader search path. This involves setting the following environment variable (this is what the `eval` command above does):

    export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/path/to/tecplot360/bin:/path/to/tecplot360/bin/sys

You can see what this environment variable is set to by running `echo $LD_LIBRARY_PATH` in the terminal.

### Updating

To update PyTecplot after you have already installed it once, you run the same installation command with the option `--upgrade`. For example:

    pip install --upgrade pytecplot

When installing a new version of Tecplot 360 EX, you must ensure that the `LD_LIBRARY_PATH` environment variable gets updated accordingly.

## Mac OSX

Note

We highly recommend using a package management tool such as Macports, Brew or Fink to install and update Python along with pip. Once this is done, you can use `sudo pip` to manage the installation of system-wide python modules.

### Standard Installation

Once Python is installed along with the pip module, you may install PyTecplot from Python’s official PyPI servers by running the following command with root privileges (sudo) if needed:

    pip install pytecplot

### Installing from Local Source

For those with a restricted internet connection, PyTecplot ships with Tecplot 360 EX and can be found under the `pytecplot` directory. You may run pip from within this directory to install pytecplot as follows. Note the use of ”.” indicates the current working directory:

    cd /path/to/tecplot360/pytecplot
    pip install .

### Installing Without Root Access

If you get a “permission denied” error, this likely means you are attempting to install PyTecplot into a system-controlled Python package directory. If this is what you want to do, then you must prepend the above pip command with sudo. Alternatively, you may wish to install PyTecplot into your user-space or home directory. This can be done by add the option `--user` to the install step (see the output of the command `pip help` for details):

    pip install --user pytecplot

### Optional Dependencies

All required dependencies will be installed along with PyTecplot. There are optional dependencies such as Numpy and IPython which you may want to install as well. These can be installed by appending `[extras]` to the installation command:

    pip install pytecplot[extras]

### Environment Setup

Once installed, you will need to setup your environment so PyTecplot can find the dynamic libraries associated with the engine. Tecplot 360 EX ships with an environment script that, by default, outputs the appropriate shell commands to update the appropriate environment variables. Typical useage is to pass the output to the built-in shell command `eval` (notice the full path is wrapped in quotes to allow for spaces):

    eval `"/Applications/Tecplot 360 EX [VERSION]/bin/tec360-env"`

At this point PyTecplot should be configured for use and you may try running the “hello world” example. If for some reason the `tec360-env` script fails to work, you may add by hand the `Contents/MacOS` directory to the dynamic library loader search path. This involves setting the following environment variable (this is what the `eval` command above does):

    export DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH="/Applications/Tecplot.../Contents/MacOS"

With a standard installation of Tecplot 360 EX, the “Tecplot...” above is usually something like the following. Note that “[VERSION]” should be replaced with the installed version of Tecplot 360 EX:

    "Tecplot 360 EX [VERSION]/Tecplot 360 EX [VERSION].app"

You can see what this environment variable is set to by running `echo $DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH` in the terminal.

### Updating

To update PyTecplot after you have already installed it once, you run the same installation command with the option `--upgrade`. For example:

    pip install --upgrade pytecplot

When installing a new version of Tecplot 360 EX, you must ensure that the `DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH` environment variable gets updated accordingly.

### System Integrity Protection (SIP)

If you installed Python (and the pip module) using Macports, Brew or Fink, you should have little trouble using PyTecplot. Please try running the “hello world” example before continuing here.

Starting with OSX version 10.11, Apple has introduced a highly restrictive protection agent which unsets the `DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH` environment variable when a sub process is created using a system-installed executable such as `/usr/bin/python`. It is easily by-passed but requires some work on the user’s part. We present here two options: 1. Setting up a Python virtual environment in user-space (the user’s home directory) and 2. disabling Apple’s System Integrity Protection (SIP).

#### Using a Python Virtual Environment

This is the less invasive option and has several advantages as it isolates the installation of PyTecplot from the system. The user has total control on which python modules are installed and there is no need for elevated “root” privileges. However, there is overhead involved on the user’s part. Specifically, the user is now responsible for installing all the python packages to be used and the environment will have to “activated” before running any scripts that require it.

Please see the official documentation concerning Python virtual environments. If you are using Python version 2.7, please see the older virtualenv project. In short, the `venv` Python module is used to create a complete installation of Python in the user’s home directory:

    python -m venv myenv

This creates a directory “myenv” and installs Python into it. The virtual environment can now be activated by sourcing the “activate” script under the `myenv` directory:

    source myenv/bin/activate

You should now have `python` and pip pointing to this directory:

    $ which python
    /Users/me/myenv/bin/python
    $ which pip
    /Users/me/myenv/bin/pip

From here, you should be able to install PyTecplot as discussed above without root (sudo) requirements.

#### Disabling SIP

The system protection enforced by default on the newest versions of OSX is controlled by the `csrutil` command which only allows you to change the settings in recovery mode. To do this, you may follow these steps:

1. Restart your Mac.
2. Before OSX starts up, hold sown Command-R and keep it held down until you see an Apple icon and a progress bar.
3. From the Utilities menu, select Terminal.
4. At the prompt, type `csrutil disable` and press Return.
5. Reboot.

The status of SIP can be checked by the user without being in recovery mode with the command:

    csrutil status

You can test the propagation of the `DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH` environment variable to the sub process by running the following command which will print `True` or `False`:

    export DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH='test'
    /usr/bin/python -c 'import os;print("DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH" in os.environ)'

## Troubleshooting

1. Verify that you have installed and can run Tecplot 360 EX.
2. Verify that you are running 64 bit Python version `2.7` or `3.4+`.
3. Verify that you have run `python -m pip install pytecplot` with the correct python executable.
4. Installing into the Python’s `site-packages` typically requires elevated privileges. Therefore the `pip install` command may need a `sudo` or “Run as Administrator” type of environment.
5. Make sure the directory pointed to by PATH, LD_LIBRARY_PATH or DYLD_LiBRARY_PATH for Windows, Linux and OSX respectively exists and contains the Tecplot 360 EX executable and library files.
6. Though the package is named “pytecplot” the actual python module that is imported is just “tecplot” - i.e. you should have “import tecplot” and not “import pytecplot” at the top of your scripts.
7. If your script throws an exception when you attempt to call any pytecplot API, the most likely cause is a missing or invalid Tecplot 360 EX License. Run Tecplot 360 EX and go to Help -> Tecplot 360 EX Licensing... to verify the license is configured properly.

Note

If the license is missing or invalid, try the following:

1. On Windows, be sure that the latest version of Tecplot 360 EX is first in your PATH environment variable.
2. Check to see if you can run Tecplot 360 EX by double clicking on the desktop icon (Windows), or from the command prompt.
3. On Linux and Mac OSX, be sure that your LD_LIBARARY_PATH (Linux) or DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH is set to the latest version of Tecplot 360 EX.
4. If you are able to run Tecplot 360 EX but still cannot run a script that imports the `tecplot` module, contact Tecplot Technical Support.

See the Getting Help section under Quick Start for troubleshooting after installation is successful.

## Version Information

Version information of the tecplot Python module can be obtained as a `string` of the form “Major.Minor.Build”:

    tecplot.__version__

or as a `namedtuple` with attributes: “major”, “minor”, “revision”, “build” in that order:

    tecplot.version_info

The underlying Tecplot 360 EX installation has its own version which can be obtained as a `string`:

    tecplot.sdk_version

or as a `namedtuple`:

    tecplot.sdk_version_info

### Navigation

- index
- modules |
- next |
- previous |