.. _installWindows: Installing `music21` in Windows ============================================ Get Python ------------------------------- Python is a simple but powerful programming language that `music21` is written in and in which you will write your own programs that use `music21`. Windows users should download and install Python version 3.10 or higher. To get Python for Windows, go to https://www.python.org/downloads/ and click on the "Windows installer" link. It is probably the first link. Save the file to your desktop and then click on it there. To test to see if Python has been installed properly, go to the start menu and run (either by clicking "Run" in older Windows or by typing in the search box) a program called `IDLE`. Once it's started, type `2+2`. If your system then displays `4` python is working properly and we can start thinking about installing `music21`. Updating Python ------------------------------- If you have already installed Python on your computer, launch IDLE (a Python interpreter and code editor) by clicking the start menu and clicking Run (on Windows XP or older) and typing in "IDLE" or (on Windows Vista and newer) typing in "IDLE" in the Search Programs list. The first lines of text displayed will include a version number. Make sure it begins with 3.10 or higher. If your version is too old, download a newer version as above. Install `music21` ------------------------------- Open up a command prompt and type: pip install music21 This will download and install `music21`. If you already have `music21` but want to upgrade to the latest version, run: pip install --upgrade music21 To test to see if `music21` has been installed properly, go to the start menu and run (either by clicking "Run" in older Windows or by typing in the search box) IDLE. Type "`import music21`". If your system waits for a few seconds and then displays "`>>>`" and perhaps a warning about missing packages, then you've installed everything properly. (If the system cannot find `music21` then you may have more than one version of Python on your system. Try uninstalling all of them along with `music21` and then restarting from scratch). You should then configure `music21` to find your helper programs such as MuseScore or Finale. In the command prompt, type:: python3 -m music21.configure Or, in IDLE type:: import music21 music21.configure.run() After Installation ------------------------------- After a successful installation, you may proceed to :ref:`Notes ` to begin using `music21`. Installation Help ------------------------------- If you have followed all the instructions and still encounter problems, start over from scratch and try it again very carefully. If you still have problems contact the `music21` group and someone should be able to help: https://groups.google.com/g/music21list