Scout Ops Extractor Installation Guide

This guide will walk you through the process of installing and setting up Scout Ops Extractor on your computer. The application requires Python and several dependencies to function properly.

Prerequisites

Before installing Scout Ops Extractor, ensure your system meets these requirements:

Operating System: Windows 10/11, macOS 10.14+, or Linux
Python 3.7 or newer
Internet connection for downloading dependencies and accessing APIs
100MB of free disk space

Python Installation

Download Python

Visit the official Python website (opens in a new tab) and download the latest Python 3 release for your operating system.

Run the installer

Execute the downloaded file and ensure you select:

"Add Python to PATH" (Windows)
"Install pip" option

Verify installation

Open a terminal or command prompt and run:

python --version
pip --version

You should see the Python and pip versions displayed.

Installing Scout Ops Extractor

Download the application

Clone the repository or download from GitHub:

git clone https://github.com/feds201/Scout-Ops-Extractor.git

Or download the ZIP file and extract it to a convenient location.

Navigate to the application directory

cd Scout-Ops-Extractor

Install required dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt

If no requirements.txt is available, install the core dependencies manually:

pip install PyQt5 requests

For team environments, you might want to create a virtual environment to avoid dependency conflicts with other Python applications.

Setting Up a Virtual Environment (Optional)

Using a virtual environment is recommended to isolate the application's dependencies:

Create a virtual environment

# Windows
python -m venv scout_ops_env
 
# macOS/Linux
python3 -m venv scout_ops_env

Activate the virtual environment

# Windows
scout_ops_env\Scripts\activate
 
# macOS/Linux
source scout_ops_env/bin/activate

Install dependencies within the virtual environment

pip install PyQt5 requests

Deactivate when finished

deactivate

Creating a Desktop Shortcut

Windows

Right-click on your desktop and select "New > Shortcut"
Enter the following command:
```
pythonw.exe "PATH_TO_EXTRACTOR\scout_ops_extractor.py"
```
Replace PATH_TO_EXTRACTOR with the actual path to the application folder
Click "Next" and give the shortcut a name like "Scout Ops Extractor"
Right-click the new shortcut, select "Properties"
Click "Change Icon" and browse to an appropriate icon file
Click "OK" to save changes

macOS

Create a new text file with the following content:

#!/bin/bash
cd /path/to/Scout-Ops-Extractor
python3 scout_ops_extractor.py

Save the file as launch_scout_ops.command
Make the file executable:
```
chmod +x launch_scout_ops.command
```
Move the file to Applications or create an alias on your desktop

Troubleshooting Installation Issues

Missing Dependencies

If you encounter errors related to missing modules, install them using pip:

pip install [module_name]

Common dependencies that might need manual installation:

PyQt5
requests
json
csv
datetime

PyQt5 Installation Problems

If PyQt5 installation fails, try the following alternatives:

# Option 1: Install PyQt5 binary wheels
pip install PyQt5-sip
pip install PyQt5
 
# Option 2: Use conda (if you have Anaconda/Miniconda installed)
conda install pyqt

Permission Errors

If you encounter permission errors on Linux or macOS:

# Install dependencies with sudo
sudo pip3 install PyQt5 requests
 
# Or use the --user flag
pip3 install --user PyQt5 requests

Next Steps

After installation is complete:

Obtain an API key from The Blue Alliance (opens in a new tab)
Launch the application
Enter your API key in the settings
Test the connection by fetching data for a recent event

Now you're ready to use Scout Ops Extractor! Refer to the User Guide for detailed instructions on using the application.

Overview User Guide