Setting up IDLE 

1)  follow the download instructions for PySerial, Python 2.5.4, and Pygame
2)  open IDLE, this will bring up a window that says Python Shell
3)  the >>> is the IDLE prompt where python can be typed


Set up the PYTHONPATH

Note: This only needs to happen once and then the path will be set to the folder location

    For Windows:

     1)  create a new environment variable 
          a)  on Windows 7, open the start menu and type in the search box: environment
          b)  click on "edit environment variables for your account" which will bring up a window
          c)  under the list of User variables select "New..." which will bring up another window with two blanks, one for Variable name
               and one for Variable value.
          d)  for Variable name type PYTHONPATH, for Variable value put the entire path location of the folder containing robot.py 
               starting with C:\ 

    For Mac:

     1)  open a text editor (TextEdit)
     2)  in the Format menu, select Make Plain Text
     3)  in the text editor type the entire path location of the folder containing robot.py
     4)  save the text file as engi128.pth in the /Library/Python/2.5/ folder


How to change the keys to cycle through past entered commands

Note: if you do not change the keys to cycle through past entered commands, the default is alt + P and alt + N for Windows and
         ctrl + P and ctrl + N for Mac.

    For Windows:

     1)  in the menu bar at the top of the IDLE window, select the Options drop down menu.
     2)  select "Configure IDLE..." which will bring up another window
     3)  select Keys from the menu at the top of the window
     4)  in the list of "Action -Key(s)" select "history-next"
     5)  once "history-next" is highlighted select the button "Get New Keys for Selection" which brings up a new window
     6)  scroll down to the bottom of the list of possible keys and select "Down Arrow" and then select "OK" You will be asked to save
          the key set. The name is not important. It will be the name of this new setting so you can toggle between it or the default setting.
     7)  in the list of "Action -Key(s)" select "history-previous"
     8)  once "history-previous" is highlighted select the button "Get New Keys for Selection" which brings up a new window
     9)  scroll down to the bottom of the list of possible keys and select "Up Arrow" and then select "OK." Now instead of alt + P and
          alt + N, the up and down arrows will cycle through the past entered commands

    For Mac:

     1)  in IDLE's menu , select the Python drop down menu.
     2)  select "Preferences..." which will bring up another window
     3)  select Keys from the menu at the top of the window
     4)  in the list of "Action -Key(s)" select "history-next"
     5)  once "history-next" is highlighted select the button "Get New Keys for Selection" which brings up a new window
     6)  scroll down to the bottom of the list of possible keys and select "Down Arrow" and then select "OK" You will be asked to save
          the key set. The name is not important. It will be the name of this new setting so you can toggle between it or the default setting.
     7)  in the list of "Action -Key(s)" select "history-previous"
     8)  once "history-previous" is highlighted select the button "Get New Keys for Selection" which brings up a new window
     9)  scroll down to the bottom of the list of possible keys and select "Up Arrow" and then select "OK." Now instead of ctrl + P and
          ctrl + N, the up and down arrows will cycle through the past entered commands 


How to find the serial port for your robot

Note: It'll be different for each computer you use your robot with. Also, if it's unclear what the port is, look at what is listed
          when your robot is turned off and then compare that to when the robot is turned on.

    For Windows:

     1)  open the device manager
          a)  on Windows 7, open the start menu and type in the search box: device manager
          b)  click on device manager
     2)  plug in your robot (with the robot turned on)
     3)  click on the arrow next to Ports to drop down a list of ports
     4)  look at the USB Serial Port. In paranthesis there will be COM and a number --> example: (COM5). "com5" would be your robot's
          serial port for this computer.

    For Mac:

     1)  open a terminal
     2)  plug in your robot (with the robot turned on)
     3)  type ls /dev in the terminal
     4)  find tty.usbserial-"something"  --> example: tty.usbserial-A700eJSe. "/dev/tty.usbserial-A700eJSe" would be your robot's 
          serial port for this computer.

Note: having to type robot.connect("serial port") and robot.program("serial port", "pythonfile.py") will happen frequently 
          so to avoid having to type the serial port over and over, use the keys to scroll through past commands. Even if the
          command is not the exact same, you can just edit the past command and then run it.