This method is for users who are comfortable with the command line and want to run the application directly with Python.

1. Prerequisites: Install Python & Git

You need Python 3.10+ and Git installed.

  • macOS: Use Homebrew: brew install python git
  • Windows: Install from git-scm.com and python.org (ensure you check the box to “Add Python to PATH”).
  • Linux (Debian/Ubuntu): sudo apt update && sudo apt install git python3 python3-venv python3-pip -y

2. Clone the Repository

Open your Terminal and navigate to where you want to store the application, then run:

git clone https://github.com/mrantonsSG/nova_DSO_tracker.git
cd nova_DSO_tracker

3. Set Up and Activate the Virtual Environment

  1. Create the environment:Bash# On macOS/Linux python3 -m venv venv # On Windows py -3 -m venv venv
  2. Activate the environment:Bash# On macOS/Linux source venv/bin/activate # On Windows .\venv\Scripts\activate Your terminal prompt should now show (venv).

4. Install Dependencies

Install all required packages from the requirements.txt file.

pip install -r requirements.txt

5. Run the Application

For any server or long-term use (like on a Raspberry Pi), it is highly recommended to use a production server like Gunicorn.

# First, install gunicorn inside your venv
pip install gunicorn

# Then, run the app
gunicorn --workers 4 --bind 0.0.0.0:5001 nova:app

After starting, open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:5001.

Additional Information

Deactivate the virtual environment

Once you are finished using the application, you can deactivate the virtual environment by simply running:

deactivate

This command returns you to your normal terminal prompt. You must reactivate the environment (source venv/bin/activate) before running the app again.

Upgrading the Python Installation

  1. (Recommended) Back up your data: cp -r instance instance_backup_$(date +%Y%m%d)
  2. Pull the latest code: git pull origin main
  3. Activate your virtual environment: source venv/bin/activate
  4. Update dependencies: pip install -r requirements.txt
  5. Restart the application with the gunicorn command.
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