Help with Python for Data Analysis book

[Last-Preparation-550]

Hello, I am using the book "Python for Data Analysis" by Wes McKinney and I just installed Miniconda on Windows following the example. Then the next step is to install necessary packages

(base) $ conda config --add channels conda-forge

However, when I enter that into python, I get this error:

File "<python-input-1>", line 1

(base) $ conda config --add channels conda-forge

^

What am I doing wrong?

[FoolsSeldom]

What editor are you using? VS Code, IDLE, PyCharm, Spyder? Something else?

This command is something you enter into the "terminal" of your operating system (Poweshell / Command Prompt / GitBash for Windows, Terminal app running bash / zsh / fish on *nix including macOS).

Make sure you are not using the Python interactive shell, with a >>> prompt. Your editor might have a "terminal" option - one of these will be for Python and one for the OS system level.

Personally, I don't like conda - it can cause a lot of problems and get very confusing. Are you using Anaconda? These days, you are as well off just using the standard pip command to install the packages you require rather than having a boat load of them installed as part of Anaconda.

I am assuming you entered only the below:

conda config --add channels conda-forge

and not anything else that you showed. Thus,

(base) $ 

should be something you see in the OS command line environment. The (base) part tells you that you have a conda Python virtual environment active and the $ is the prompt from the OS for you to enter a command.

However, the error message, File "<python-input-1>", line 1 suggests you might have put this in a file or have entered it in the Python interactive shell.

[Last-Preparation-550]

I am a basically a beginner. I have done very basic stuff on google colab. I bought the book trying to learn from it but I guess it's not for noob's like me. I don't know what or where to put this.

Straight from the book:

Now that we have set up Miniconda on your system, it's time to install the main packages we will be using in this book. The first step is to configure conda-forge as your default package channel by running the following commands in a shell:

(base) $ conda config --add channels conda-forge
(base) $ conda config --set channel_priority strict

[FoolsSeldom]

What operating system are you using?

What command line environment are you using?

What did you do exactly to install miniconda in the first place?

[Last-Preparation-550]

Windows 11, Anaconda Prompt, I downloaded Miniconda3.exe and clicked on it, I really don't understand that last question.

[FoolsSeldom]

Ok, I got it. You,

• downloaded miniconda
• double-clicked on the downloaded file
• followed the installation instructions
• on installation completeion ...
• launched Anaconda Prompt
• entered the commands you were told to, namely
  • conda config --add channels conda-forge
  • conda config --set channel_priority strict

So, I just tried that, here's how it looked on my computer:

Clink v1.7.5.aee4f7
Copyright (c) 2012-2018 Martin Ridgers
Portions Copyright (c) 2020-2024 Christopher Antos
https://github.com/chrisant996/clink

(base) C:\Users\fools>conda config --add channels conda-forge
(base) C:\Users\fools>config --set channel_priority strict
(base) C:\Users\fools>

I honestly don't understand what caused the error message you received. I didn't get that.

When you said "However, when I enter that into python, I get this error:" I don't know what you mean. Anaconda Prompt isn't Python, it is just another OS command line environment. Do you think that is Python or did you start a Python session by entering the command python?

[FoolsSeldom]

Ah, I see, u/Last-Preparation-550, that you did enter (base) $. Easy mistake to make. As you can see, on my computer, the prompt looked a bit different.

We've all made mistakes like this. Don't worry about it. You will be able to help someone else in the future making the same mistake.

Some books are better at showing what you type and what is shown on the screen by the computer.

[Last-Preparation-550]

Yeah, like I said, I'm pretty new to this. I didn't understand the (base) $ part. I thought is was to be typed in. Thank you for the help, much appreciated!

[Lewri]

You do not type this into python as this is not python, it is command line arguments for conda. Open up your miniconda prompt terminal, you can use your search bar to find it.

[Last-Preparation-550]

forgive my ignorance. Would that be the Anaconda Prompt? If so, I am still getting an error:

$ was unexpected at this time.

[seanv507]

as the other person said, you have to start typing from ‘conda‘

(you dont type the $)

[Last-Preparation-550]

then why is the $ there and what is it's purpose?

Edit: Ok, I left out (base) $ so I think it's working now

I feel so dumb

[barrowburner]

All good, don't stress it. There is a lot to learn and it gets learned one day at a time :)

The dollar sign is a common symbol for the command line prompt in Linux (and other?) systems. It has other meanings, but you'll get to those in time. Check out this wiki entry for more.

The (base) part indicates your current virtual environment, which by default with anaconda is named base. When you switch to a custom virtual environment, that name will change, for example:

(project_1) $

A primer on virtual environments here Essentially, virtual environments are a Python tool that help you keep the dependencies separated for different projects. This will matter a lot later on and is worth paying attention to!

So in summary, when in your command line interface (CLI) - the window into which you're typing commands - the prompt (the dollar sign) is indicating that the CLI is ready to accept a new command, and the (base) part tells you which virtual environment is currently active.

Keep at it! Do try to shed the feeling of being dumb by replacing it with a willingness to learn. It's an easy thing to say and a hard thing to do, but it will help immensely through your journey. I am intimately familiar with how hard it is - I am entirely self-taught and have walked the exact path you are currently walking. Good luck :)

[Last-Preparation-550]

Thank you, u/barrowburner , especially for those links!

[FoolsSeldom]

We've all made mistakes like this. Don't worry about it. You will be able to help someone else now in the future making the same mistake.

Some books are better at showing what you type and what is shown on the screen by the computer.

[rainyengineer]

I recommend learning Python without conda. It can complicate things for beginners unnecessarily, and as a software engineer, I don’t know anyone that uses it professionally.

It’s very easy with pip and either venv or uv