README Edit

[Mannuel25]

I'd like to make a few changes to the README; move the Developing Porcupine section into a new file called Contributing Guidelines, add a few Git/GitHub resources for people that wish to contribute but aren't familiar with using Git/GitHub.

I also suggest we have a Code Of Conduct, we could make use of Contributor Covenant.

If I'm granted the go-ahead, I will make the stated changes to the repository.

[Akuli]

Please fork the repo, edit the README in your fork like you imagined it to be, and make a pull request. We can then talk about what edits I actually want to have in the README.

Instead of linking Git and GitHub resources, it might be better to recommend contacting me if someone doesn't know how to use Git and GitHub. It's ok to ask for help, and in my experience people new to git need someone else to fix their messes several times during the learning process.

[Mannuel25]

Okay, I'll do just that. Thanks.

[Mannuel25]

Before making the changes I tried installing Porcupine by following the laid down instructions but got some errors while doing that:

[Akuli]

First error: Are you using a 32-bit or 64-bit windows? If you download "Windows x86-64 embeddable zip file" from here https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-382/ does that work?

Second error: Does it work if you create the venv somewhere else, e.g. not inside Documents?

[Akuli]

Maybe I should clarify how the embeddable zip file is supposed to work.

Once downloaded, you need to extract it somewhere, cd into the directory and run python.exe inside it:

cd Downloads\name_of_extracted_folder\
python.exe

Python should start.

Here "embeddable" means that you don't need to have Python installed to do this. It should just work on any Windows computer, and the Porcupine installers in fact contain a copy of Python downloaded from one of these zip files. Once extracted, the installer tries to run the Python to check if it works, and that's where it failed for you.

[Mannuel25]

Oh, thanks for helping out. I just installed it now :smile:

[Mannuel25]

Could the steps you laid out be added to the installation guidelines?

[Akuli]

So which steps made it actually work for you?

[Mannuel25]

First error: Are you using a 32-bit or 64-bit windows? If you download "Windows x86-64 embeddable zip file" from here https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-382/ does that work?

Second error: Does it work if you create the venv somewhere else, e.g. not inside Documents?

First error: Yes I'm using a 32-bit windows(Python 3.8.6) Second error: Yes it worked, created the venv on desktop and it installed

[Mannuel25]

So which steps made it actually work for you?

I moved the folder to Desktop then followed the instructions

[Akuli]

I created #853 and will update README soon.

[Mannuel25]

I created #853 and will update README soon.

Okay, thanks.

[Mannuel25]

Maybe I should clarify how the embeddable zip file is supposed to work.

Once downloaded, you need to extract it somewhere, cd into the directory and run python.exe inside it:

cd Downloads\name_of_extracted_folder\
python.exe

Python should start.

Here "embeddable" means that you don't need to have Python installed to do this. It should just work on any Windows computer, and the Porcupine installers in fact contain a copy of Python downloaded from one of these zip files. Once extracted, the installer tries to run the Python to check if it works, and that's where it failed for you.

I want to be clarified on this. Do you mean if i'd a 64-bit windows then I download the porcupine zip file and extract it, I wouldn't have gotten the first error?

[Akuli]

Yeah, let's clarify this a bit.

the porcupine zip file

There is no Porcupine zip file. The zip file from python.org is basically included in PorcupineSetup_0.98.2.exe, and when you run PorcupineSetup_0.98.2.exe, it basically extracts that zip file onto your computer. (I say "basically", because the installer includes the contents of that zip file, not the zip file itself.)

The zip file contains a 64-bit Python, which failed to run on your computer. To figure out why it didn't run, I thought we would have to manually download that zip file, try to run the Python from it, and see if we get a longer error message. But we didn't have to do that, because I asked whether you have a 32-bit windows.

Do you mean if i'd a 64-bit windows then ... I wouldn't have gotten the first error?

Yes. The installer works on 64-bit windows without any errors. I haven't made 32-bit Porcupine installers, because nowadays there aren't many 32-bit windows users (in fact, you are the only one I know). However, it wouldn't be difficult to modify everything to also build 32-bit installers, and I can do that if you want.

[Mannuel25]

Oh, wow I get it now. Thanks for taking your time to explain, I've learned a lot.

And as regards the 32-bit installers, I'd be glad if you could do that. But, will it still be necessary since I've already installed it and it's working fine.

[Mannuel25]

I forgot to add that the editor is really cool!. I love it :sunglasses:

[Akuli]

And as regards the 32-bit installers, I'd be glad if you could do that. But, will it still be necessary since I've already installed it and it's working fine.

The development install doesn't care about 32-bit vs 64-bit, because it uses a python that you have to install yourself. It is a problem only in the installer, because it includes its own Python, which is currently 64-bit.