.. _open_a_popy_command_prompt: 

Open a |popy| Command Prompt
############################

To gain access to the :ref:`popy_tools` you need to invoke the |popy| command prompt environment.

There are two ways of doing this, :ref:`windows_shortcut_method` and :ref:`windows_terminal_method`.

.. _windows_shortcut_method: 

Windows Shortcut Method
=======================

Select the '|popy| Command Prompt' shortcut that should be on both your Desktop and Start Menu (in the |popy| folder). This will open a |popy| command prompt in your user home directory.

The terminal should look something like :numref:`fig_popy_dos_prompt`:-

.. _fig_popy_dos_prompt:

.. figure:: dos_popy.png
    :width: 50%
    :align: center
    
    |popy| dos prompt
    
.. _windows_terminal_method:

Windows Terminal Method
=======================

Open a standard terminal (either a Powershell in Windows 10 or a standard cmd.exe in Windows 7/8) in *any* folder on your computer. For example, in Windows 10, from within Windows explorer do:-

.. code-block:: console

 shift key + right mouse button -> "Open powershell window here"

A powershell should appear like this :numref:`fig_plain_ps_prompt`:-

.. _fig_plain_ps_prompt:

.. figure:: powershell_plain.png
    :width: 50%
    :align: center
    
    Plain PowerShell prompt
    
Then type:-

.. code-block:: console

    $ popy_env
    
You should see the text:-

.. code-block:: console

    Welcome to PoPy Binary

After running ref:`popy_env` the terminal should look something like :numref:`fig_popy_ps_prompt`:-
    
.. _fig_popy_ps_prompt:

.. figure:: powershell_popy.png
    :width: 50%
    :align: center
    
    |popy| PowerShell prompt
    
Note the colour of the text will change from white to pale blue (if you started in a dos prompt). The text is pale blue by default in a windows powershell.
    
Verify |popy| Environment
=========================
    
The light blue text signifies that you are within a |popy| environment. You can verify this further by running :ref:`popy_info`:-

.. code-block:: console

    $ popy_info
    
You can also verify that the system path has changed. e.g in a command prompt:-

.. code-block:: console

    $ echo %PATH%
    
Or in a powershell:-

.. code-block:: console

    $ $env:path
    
You should be able to run all the :ref:`popy_tools` now.