How to start DataLab

[VincentLeroux]

Once you install datalab using pip, how do you start DataLab GUI?

[PierreRaybaut]

Just run the executable cdl:

$ cdl

I guess that I missed that point in the documentation indeed! Thanks for the feedback.

[PierreRaybaut]

It is actually mentioned in this page, but far away from the installation section (I'll add a "See also" and a link).

[VincentLeroux]

Thank you for the answer, and for this great project. Just to mention it, I installed datalab alone in a virtual env, and then the command cdl did nothing. After trying python.exe -m cdl, I got the Qt error: qtpy.QtBindingsNotFoundError: No Qt bindings could be found. It could be fixed with pip install pyqt5-tools, and now cdl runs smoothly.

[PierreRaybaut]

Thanks for this additional info.

Actually, DataLab is based on an abstraction layer called QtPy which is compatible with PyQt5, PyQt6 and PySide6. That's why there is no explicit dependency towards PyQt5 and you have to install Qt bindings separately.

I understand that it can be confusing, especially since it's not mentioned in the documentation.

So I see two options:

1. Add PyQt5 as an explicit dependency (after all, DataLab is currently validated with PyQt5)
2. Add something in the documentation like "After installing DataLab, you have to install Qt bindings (e.g. pip install PyQt5)."

What do you think about it?

[VincentLeroux]

I guess option 2 is easier and leaves more freedom. People installing with pip tend to be more familiar with Python and can figure out easily if you just add in the "Getting Started > Installation > Package manager pip" section your option 2. People that want a ready to use version (for which option 1 would be better) would tend to go for the all in one installer where you don't have this issue anyway.

[PierreRaybaut]

Ok, so here is a compromise.

We could add another option to install DataLab using pip:

• Install DataLab with Qt: pip install cdl[qt]
• Install DataLab without Qt (i.e. Qt bindings are already installed on your Python environment): pip install cdl

[VincentLeroux]

I didn't know that was possible but yeah, that's great!

[PierreRaybaut]

This will be possible in the next release 😉 (next week)

Thanks for your feedback

[PierreRaybaut]

By the way, @VincentLeroux, if you have a specific use case with DataLab and if you need help finding out how to use DataLab, please do not hesitate to share it. And if you can share some sample of your data, we may discuss around it and even write a tutorial based on it (that's exactly how most of the tutorials were written actually).

There is even an issue type for this: "Tutorial request".