considering using a python file for installing epicpy on lab machines

bup.py

+# uv-meta: {"requires": ["rich"]}
+
+import sys
+import subprocess
+import platform
+from pathlib import Path
+from rich.console import Console
+from rich import print
+
+console = Console()
+
+
+def run_command(command):
+    """Run a command and return the output, or None if it fails."""
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            command,
+            stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+            stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+            text=True,
+            check=True,
+        )
+        return result.stdout
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
+        console.print(f"[red]Error running command: {' '.join(command)}[/red]")
+        console.print(e.stderr)
+        return None
+
+
+def ensure_git_installed():
+    """Check if git is installed; if not, alert the user and quit."""
+    if not shutil.which("git"):
+        console.print("[red]Git is not installed![/red]")
+        console.print(
+            "Please install git from [blue]https://git-scm.com/downloads[/blue] before trying again."
+        )
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+
+def get_python_3_10_path():
+    """Get the path to Python 3.10 by checking the current Python interpreter."""
+    python_path = Path(sys.executable)
+    if python_path.exists() and python_path.name.startswith("python3.10"):
+        return str(python_path)
+    console.print(
+        "[red]EPICPy requires Python 3.10 on Linux and MacOS, but that version of Python could not be located on this system. You can install Python 3.10 by running this command: uv python install 3.10[/red]"
+    )
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+
+def get_python_3_9_path():
+    """Get the path to Python 3.9 by checking for it explicitly."""
+    result = run_command(
+        ["where" if platform.system() == "Windows" else "which", "python3.9"]
+    )
+    if result:
+        python_path = Path(result.strip())
+        if python_path.exists():
+            return str(python_path)
+    console.print(
+        "[red]EPICPy requires Python 3. on Windows, but that version of Python could not be located on this system. You can install Python 3.9 by running this command: uv python install 3.9[/red]"
+    )
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+
+def main():
+    ensure_git_installed()
+
+    # Determine the appropriate Python version
+    if platform.system().lower() == "windows":
+        python_path = get_python_3_9_path()
+    else:
+        python_path = get_python_3_10_path()
+
+    # Step 1: Check if EPICpy is installed and uninstall it if necessary
+    uv_tool_list = run_command(["uv", "tool", "list"])
+    if uv_tool_list and "EPICpy" in uv_tool_list:
+        console.print("[yellow]EPICpy is already installed. Uninstalling...[/yellow]")
+        run_command(["uv", "tool", "uninstall", "EPICpy"])
+
+    # Step 2: Install EPICpy using the determined Python path
+    console.print(f"[cyan]Installing EPICpy with Python at {python_path}...[/cyan]")
+    install_output = run_command(
+        [
+            "uv",
+            "tool",
+            "install",
+            "git+https://www.github.com/travisseymour/EPICpy.git",
+            "--python",
+            python_path,
+        ]
+    )
+
+    if install_output and "Installed 1 executable: EPICpy" in install_output:
+        console.print(
+            "[green]EPICpy installed successfully! You can run it from the terminal like this: EPICpy[/green]"
+        )
+    else:
+        console.print(
+            "[red]Failed to install EPICpy. Please check the error above and try again.[/red]"
+        )
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    # Step 3: Check if epiccoder is installed and uninstall it if necessary
+    uv_tool_list = run_command(["uv", "tool", "list"])
+    if uv_tool_list and "epiccoder" in uv_tool_list:
+        console.print(
+            "[yellow]epiccoder is already installed. Uninstalling...[/yellow]"
+        )
+        run_command(["uv", "tool", "uninstall", "epiccoder"])
+
+    # Step 4: Install epiccoder
+    console.print("[cyan]Installing epiccoder...[/cyan]")
+    epiccoder_output = run_command(
+        [
+            "uv",
+            "tool",
+            "install",
+            "git+https://www.github.com/travisseymour/epiccoder.git",
+        ]
+    )
+
+    if epiccoder_output and "Installed 1 executable: epiccoder" in epiccoder_output:
+        console.print(
+            "[green]epiccoder installed successfully! You can run it from the terminal like this: epiccoder[/green]"
+        )
+    else:
+        console.print(
+            "[red]Failed to install epiccoder. Please check the error above and try again.[/red]"
+        )
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()

tool_install.py

+# uv-meta: {"requires": ["rich"]}
+
+import sys
+import subprocess
+import platform
+from pathlib import Path
+from rich.console import Console
+from rich import print
+
+"""
+To run this script:
+1. If you don't have git installed, install it from here: https://git-scm.com/downloads
+2. If you don't have uv installed, install it from here: https://docs.astral.sh/uv/getting-started/installation/
+3. Run this command:
+   uv run tool_install.py
+"""
+
+console = Console()
+
+
+def run_command(command):
+    """Run a command and return the output, or None if it fails."""
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            command,
+            stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+            stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+            text=True,
+            check=True,
+        )
+        return result.stdout
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
+        console.print(f"[red]Error running command: {' '.join(command)}[/red]")
+        console.print(e.stderr)
+        return None
+
+
+def ensure_git_installed():
+    """Check if git is installed; if not, alert the user and quit."""
+    if not shutil.which("git"):
+        console.print("[red]Git is not installed![/red]")
+        console.print(
+            "Please install git from [blue]https://git-scm.com/downloads[/blue] before trying again."
+        )
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+
+def get_python_3_10_path():
+    """Get the path to Python 3.10 by checking the current Python interpreter."""
+    python_path = Path(sys.executable)
+    if python_path.exists() and python_path.name.startswith("python3.10"):
+        return str(python_path)
+    console.print(
+        "[red]EPICPy requires Python 3.10 on Linux and MacOS, but that version of Python could not be located on this system. "
+        "You can install Python 3.10 by running this command: uv python install 3.10[/red]"
+    )
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+
+def get_python_3_9_path():
+    """Get the path to Python 3.9 by checking for it explicitly."""
+    result = run_command(
+        ["where" if platform.system() == "Windows" else "which", "python3.9"]
+    )
+    if result:
+        python_path = Path(result.strip())
+        if python_path.exists():
+            return str(python_path)
+    console.print(
+        "[red]EPICPy requires Python 3. on Windows, but that version of Python could not be located on this system. "
+        "You can install Python 3.9 by running this command: uv python install 3.9[/red]"
+    )
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+
+def main():
+    ensure_git_installed()
+
+    # Determine the appropriate Python version
+    if platform.system().lower() == "windows":
+        python_path = get_python_3_9_path()
+    else:
+        python_path = get_python_3_10_path()
+
+    # Step 1: Check if EPICpy is installed and uninstall it if necessary
+    uv_tool_list = run_command(["uv", "tool", "list"])
+    if uv_tool_list and "EPICpy" in uv_tool_list:
+        console.print(
+            "[yellow]EPICpy is already installed. Uninstalling...[/yellow]"
+        )
+        run_command(["uv", "tool", "uninstall", "EPICpy"])
+
+    # Step 2: Install EPICpy using the determined Python path
+    console.print(
+        f"[cyan]Installing EPICpy with Python at {python_path}...[/cyan]"
+    )
+    install_output = run_command(
+        [
+            "uv",
+            "tool",
+            "install",
+            "git+https://www.github.com/travisseymour/EPICpy.git",
+            "--python",
+            python_path,
+        ]
+    )
+
+    if install_output and "Installed 1 executable: EPICpy" in install_output:
+        console.print(
+            "[green]EPICpy installed successfully! You can run it from the terminal like this: EPICpy[/green]"
+        )
+    else:
+        console.print(
+            "[red]Failed to install EPICpy. Please check the error above and try again.[/red]"
+        )
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    # Step 3: Check if epiccoder is installed and uninstall it if necessary
+    uv_tool_list = run_command(["uv", "tool", "list"])
+    if uv_tool_list and "epiccoder" in uv_tool_list:
+        console.print(
+            "[yellow]epiccoder is already installed. Uninstalling...[/yellow]"
+        )
+        run_command(["uv", "tool", "uninstall", "epiccoder"])
+
+    # Step 4: Install epiccoder
+    console.print("[cyan]Installing epiccoder...[/cyan]")
+    epiccoder_output = run_command(
+        [
+            "uv",
+            "tool",
+            "install",
+            "git+https://www.github.com/travisseymour/epiccoder.git",
+        ]
+    )
+
+    if (
+        epiccoder_output
+        and "Installed 1 executable: epiccoder" in epiccoder_output
+    ):
+        console.print(
+            "[green]epiccoder installed successfully! You can run it from the terminal like this: epiccoder[/green]"
+        )
+    else:
+        console.print(
+            "[red]Failed to install epiccoder. Please check the error above and try again.[/red]"
+        )
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()