diff --git a/docs/source/images/python_win_install.png b/docs/source/images/python_win_install.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..320305d0 Binary files /dev/null and b/docs/source/images/python_win_install.png differ diff --git a/docs/source/index.txt b/docs/source/index.txt index 766fbd5f..532aef70 100644 --- a/docs/source/index.txt +++ b/docs/source/index.txt @@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ This is the documentation for novelWriter |version|. :maxdepth: 2 introduction + started interface projects structure diff --git a/docs/source/started.txt b/docs/source/started.txt new file mode 100644 index 00000000..2ac3eec5 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/source/started.txt @@ -0,0 +1,97 @@ +*************** +Getting Started +*************** + +You can download novelWriter from https://github.com/vkbo/novelWriter/releases + +Latest version is |version|: + +* ZIP file: https://github.com/vkbo/novelWriter/archive/v0.3.2.zip +* TAR file: https://github.com/vkbo/novelWriter/archive/v0.3.2.tar.gz + +Extract the archive to a location of your choice. + +Installing Dependencies +======================= + +If you already have Python installed, and don't mind starting novelWriter from command line, all you need to do is to open your command line tool, find the folder and run: + +.. code-block:: console + + python -m pip install -r requirements.txt + +On some operating systems you need to use ``python3`` instead of ``python``. + +The following Python packages are required to run novelWriter: + +* ``pyqt5`` for the GUI +* ``appdirs`` for locating the system's config folder +* ``lxml`` for writing project files + +.. note:: + Sometimes the SVG graphics package for pyqt5 must be installed separately. + +The following are optional, but recommended: + +* ``pyenchant`` for spell checking +* ``pycountry`` for translating language codes to language names +* ``latexcodec`` for escaping unicode characters in LaTeX export +* ``pypandoc`` for additional exports to Word, Open Office, eBooks, etc. + + +Running novelWriter +=================== + +If all the required dependencies are met, you can run novelWriter from the command line: + +.. code-block:: console + + python novelWriter.py + +A few switches are supported from the command line, mostly to assist in debugging if an error is encountered. +To list all options, run: + +.. code-block:: console + + python novelWriter.py --help + + +Building a Standalone Executable +================================ + +A standalone executable can be built with pyinstaller, using the python script named "install.py" in the source folder. +This script will automatically try to install all dependencies and build the standalone executable of novelWriter. +You can run the script by typing the following into your command prompt: + +.. code-block:: console + + python install.py + +If successful, the executable will be in the "dist" folder. + + +Additional Instructions for Windows +----------------------------------- + +If you don't have Python installed, you can download it from the python.org website. +The installers for Windows are available at https://www.python.org/downloads/windows/ + +novelWriter should work with Python 3.5 or higher, and the executable installer is the easiest to install. +Please note that the `pyenchant` package for spell checking does not currently work with the x86-64 version, so if you want spell checking, you must install the x86 version. + +Also, make sure you select the "Add Python to PATH" option. + +.. image:: images/python_win_install.png + :width: 600 + +Once Python is set up and running, you can either run novelWriter from the folder where you extracted it, or you can build an executable and run that from a desktop icon instead. + +An install script is provided to automatically pull all dependencies and build a single executable. +Open a command prompt in the folder where you extracted novelWriter, and run: + +.. code-block:: console + + python install.py + +If everything went well, you should find a "novelWriter.exe" file in a folder named "dist". +You can right-click it and create a desktop icon if you wish.