From d3de463e1553a44b009d1d73d4560fffd4af17e8 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Rockwood Frank <43915594+rockwoodfrank@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2025 14:10:06 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] Dependency troubleshooting guide

I found the information on how to work with virtual environments for another project I was working on. I wanted to put a guide in here so we don't have to worry about path variables anymore.
---
 README.md | 30 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++----
 1 file changed, 26 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8ef73d1..92fd9b7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -35,20 +35,42 @@ source lab_python_env/bin/Activate.ps1
 ```
 **Install the dependencies**
 ```
-pip install -r dependencies.txt
+lab_python_env/bin/pip install -r dependencies.txt
 ```
 
 **Update Dependencies file**
 Warning, running this command will overwrite the current dependencies file with EVERY python package found in the current running python enviornment. Make sure the correct virtual enviornment is setup before updating.
 ```
-pip freeeze > dependencies.txt
+lab_python_env/bin/pip freeeze > dependencies.txt
 ```
 
-
-
 - Python 3.8+
 - Visa Backend
    - NI - VISA
    - PyVisa-Py
 - USB → GPIB Driver
    - Keysight Connection Expert
+ 
+**If python modules can't be found when running**
+Instead of messing with which path to use, run a virtual environment:
+1. Make sure a virtual environment exists in the directory(should be called "lab_python_env" or something similar)
+   - See "Activate the Virtual Environment" above.
+2. Make sure VS Code knows which interpreter to use:
+   - Open the command pallete(ctrl+shift+P)
+   - Type "Python: Select Interpreter" and choose that option
+   - At the bottom should be the venv for this environment. Choose that.
+3. Activate the environment in the command line(optional)
+   - On the command line, type in the command
+```
+source lab_python_env/bin/activate
+```
+   - Prompts on the command should now start with `(lab_python_env)`
+4. Commands need to be run from the "virtual" python.
+   - To run python commands, run
+```
+lab_python_env\bin\python
+```
+   - To install modules with pip, run
+```
+lab_python_env\bin\pip
+```