Tools

Python, R and other small handy tools

Remark

• To import/export Visual Studio Code extensions installed, first install extension VSC Extension Export & Import, then in the Command Palette, type in VSC Export or VSC Import the vsc-extensions.txt file.
• .gitignore file can help specify which files will be ignored by git when adding or commiting files in git or GitHub
• Create the environment from the .yaml files conda env create --file=myfile.yaml. Export existing environment by conda env export > myfile.yml.

How to freeze Python program into an .exe executable

• Try to make the virtual environment as small as possible.
• In the folder for hosting the virtual environment, run $ python -m venv . --> $ cd Scripts --> $ activate . Here the python environment can be an Anaconda one.
• After activating the virutal environment, use pip to install few necessary pacakes such as numpy, pandas, requests, pyinstaller, xlwings, etc.
• To create an Excel file macro that uses stand-alone Python exe program, in VBA import xlwings.bas from where the xlwings is installed. More examples refer to 's frozen folder.
• Use $ pyinstaller <file>.py --clean to create the stand-alone .exe for Excel. Add option --onefile to make single file exe, either specify the packages to exclude in the .spec file or use option --exclude pandas alike to exclude pandas to be wrapped in the exe file. The VBA code of running frozen python can be found in the demo.xlsm file in the 's frozen folder.