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Installation.OSX.rst

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Platform-specific instructions: macOS

There are two different ways to install Expyriment. The recommended method requires an active internet connection. If you need to install Expyriment on a computer that has no internet connection (like lab PCs), please use the alternative method.

Each method will rely on an additional (different) Python environment and will not alter the Python environment provided by Apple.

Default installation (online)

  1. Install Python 3.13.0

  2. In a terminal, run:

    sudo python3 -m pip install -U expyriment[all]

    (Omit [all] to install without additional optional features)

Alternative installation (offline)

On an PC with internet connection (same OS, architecture and Python version!)

  1. On the Desktop, create a directory called Expyriment_Installation

  2. Download Python 3.13.0 to Expyriment_Installation

  3. In a terminal, run:

    sudo python3 -m pip download -d ~/Desktop/Expyriment_Installation expyriment[all]

    (Omit [all] to install without additional optional features)

  1. To use enhanced video playback, download ffmpeg to Expyriment_Installation
  2. Copy the directory Expyriment_Installation from the Desktop to a portable storage device

On the target PC

  1. Copy the directory Expyriment_Installation from the portable storage device to the Desktop

  2. Install Expyriment_Installation/python-3.13.0-macos11.pkg

  3. In a command prompt, run:

    sudo python3 -m pip install --no-index --find-links ~/Desktop/Expyriment_Installation -U expyriment[all]

    (Omit [all] to install without additional optional features)

  1. To use enhanced video playback, run:

    mkdir -p ~/.local/bin
cd ~/Desktop/Expyriment_Installation
tar -xf ffmpeg-5.1.zip
mv ffmpeg ffprobe ffserver ~/.local/bin
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:~/.local/bin' >> ~/.bash_profile
source ~/.bash_profile

Notes

Be aware of multiple Python installations

If, after installation, you get errors about Expyriment (or one of its dependencies) not being installed, chances are you try to import Expyriment in the "wrong" (i.e. Apple's) Python environment.

Make sure you are calling python3.

Do not start your experiments out of IDLE

If you are using the IDLE editor that comes with the Python installation, be aware that IDLE itself is written in Python. Starting your Expyriment programme out of IDLE (by clicking on "Run" or by pressing F5), might thus lead to improper timing!

We therefore strongly suggest to run Expyriment programmes from the command line when testing participants.

MacOS does not report accurate visual presentation times

After the necessary switch to Pygame2 that happened with Expyriment 0.11.0, MacOS does not seem to be reporting accurate visual presentation times. MacOS has a compositor running which cannot be turned off. In theory, fullscreen programmes should be able to bypass it automatically, however, this does not seem to be the case in our experience. While Expyriment on MacOS will work perfecly fine for designing and implementing your experiments, we do not recommend to use MacOS to run an actual experiment (i.e. test participants)!

Expyriment will return a scaled screen in window mode

MacOS currently does not seem to allow non-scaled (HiDPI) PyGame windows. This means that when in window mode, the Expyriment screen will be in scaled coordinates, and not in pixel coordinates of the monitor. To get a proper non-scaled screen, display scaling has to be switched off in system settings.