Updated installation instructions

README.md

@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ You can also run some of the notebooks interactively with Binder too
 
 # Coding log
 
+* 08 Mar 2021
+ * Updated installation instructions
 * 07 Mar 2021
  * Added if all else fails conda installation
 * 04 Mar 2021

pythoncourse/installation/installing_anaconda_and_pycharm.html

@@ -13136,6 +13136,10 @@ <h2 id="Windows:-Installing-a-conda-environment-for-Windows-from-YML-file-(quick
 </ul>
 </li>
 <li>Type in <code>conda env create -f environment_windows.yml</code> and press Enter</li>
+<li>Note that if you get an error like <code>ruamel_yaml.reader.ReaderError: unacceptable character #x0000: special characters are not allowed in "&lt;unicode string&gt;", position 3</code> (see this GitHub <a href="https://github.com/conda/conda/issues/9749">issue</a>) try running the below instead and press Enter in the Anaconda Prompt:<ul>
+<li><code>conda env create -f .\environment_windows.yml</code></li>
+</ul>
+</li>
 <li>Anaconda will then run all the necessary command to download the various packages above using conda and pip</li>
 <li>At the end of the process you'll have a Python 3.7 conda environment with the name 'py37class' which you can use, with all the packages you'll need for this course, such as pandas, numpy etc.</li>
 <li>Note that you may need to put in the full path for wherever you downloaded the <code>environment_windows.yml</code> file or you can simply <code>cd</code> to that folder and then run the above conda command</li>
@@ -13158,7 +13162,7 @@ <h2 id="Windows:-Installing-a-conda-environment-for-Windows-from-YML-file-(quick
 </div><div class="inner_cell">
 <div class="text_cell_render border-box-sizing rendered_html">
 <h2 id="Windows:-Installing-a-conda-environment-for-Windows-(slower-method)">Windows: Installing a conda environment for Windows (slower method)<a class="anchor-link" href="#Windows:-Installing-a-conda-environment-for-Windows-(slower-method)">&#182;</a></h2><p>A conda environment is a separate version of Python, where you can install all your own Python environments. This is a slower way to do it, but this makes it easier to change the versions of the libraries (note, might not be 100% same versions as my libraries). Also try this method if the above one takes too long.</p>
-<p>Note that underneath <code>create_conda_env_windows.bat</code> are using <a href="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/mamba-org/mamba">mamba</a> - which is a faster implementation of conda to install some libraries versus conda. If you have any difficulties with mamba, you might need to change references in <code>create_conda_env_windows.bat</code> where mamba is installing libraries to conda.</p>
+<p>Note that underneath <code>create_conda_env_windows.bat</code> are using <a href="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/mamba-org/mamba">mamba</a> - which is a faster implementation of conda to install some libraries versus conda. If you have any difficulties with mamba, you might need to change references in <code>create_conda_env_windows.bat</code> where mamba is installing libraries to conda. If this method still doesn't work/or hangs, skip to the section "Installing a conda environment if all else fails".</p>
 <h3 id="Download-create_conda_env_windows.bat">Download <code>create_conda_env_windows.bat</code><a class="anchor-link" href="#Download-create_conda_env_windows.bat">&#182;</a></h3><ul>
 <li>Open up the Anaconda Prompt (should be in the Start Menu)<ul>
 <li>(Method 1) Download <code>create_conda_env_windows.bat</code><ul>
@@ -13243,7 +13247,7 @@ <h2 id="Linux/Mac:-Installing-a-conda-environment-for-Linux/Mac-from-YAML-file-(
 </div><div class="inner_cell">
 <div class="text_cell_render border-box-sizing rendered_html">
 <h2 id="Linux/Mac:-Installing-a-conda-environment-for-Linux/Mac-(slower-method)">Linux/Mac: Installing a conda environment for Linux/Mac (slower method)<a class="anchor-link" href="#Linux/Mac:-Installing-a-conda-environment-for-Linux/Mac-(slower-method)">&#182;</a></h2><p>A conda environment is a separate version of Python, where you can install all your own Python environments. For Linux 
-and Mac, we'll install more libraries, which you might need to use later (some of which aren't fully supported by Windows). Note that underneath <code>create_conda_env_linux.sh</code> (or Mac) are using <a href="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/mamba-org/mamba">mamba</a> - which is a faster implementation of conda to install some libraries versus conda. If you have any difficulties with mamba, you might need to change references in <code>create_conda_env_linux.sh</code> (or Mac) where mamba is installing libraries to conda.</p>
+and Mac, we'll install more libraries, which you might need to use later (some of which aren't fully supported by Windows). Note that underneath <code>create_conda_env_linux.sh</code> (or Mac) are using <a href="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/mamba-org/mamba">mamba</a> - which is a faster implementation of conda to install some libraries versus conda. If you have any difficulties with mamba, you might need to change references in <code>create_conda_env_linux.sh</code> (or Mac) where mamba is installing libraries to conda. If this method still doesn't work/or hangs, skip to the section "Installing a conda environment if all else fails".</p>
 <h3 id="Download-create_conda_env_mac.sh-or-create_conda_env_linux.sh">Download <code>create_conda_env_mac.sh</code> or <code>create_conda_env_linux.sh</code><a class="anchor-link" href="#Download-create_conda_env_mac.sh-or-create_conda_env_linux.sh">&#182;</a></h3><ul>
 <li>Open a Terminal window (usually a black window icon on both Linux and Mac)<ul>
 <li>(Method 1) Download <code>create_conda_env_mac.sh</code> or <code>create_conda_env_linux.sh</code><ul>

pythoncourse/installation/installing_anaconda_and_pycharm.ipynb

@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@
  " * If you haven't already downloaded the `environment_windows.yml` file you can do it from the command line using `curl`:\n",
  " * Type on one line `curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cuemacro/teaching/master/pythoncourse/installation/environment_windows.yml > environment_windows.yml` and press Enter\n",
  " * Type in `conda env create -f environment_windows.yml` and press Enter\n",
+ " * Note that if you get an error like `ruamel_yaml.reader.ReaderError: unacceptable character #x0000: special characters are not allowed in \"<unicode string>\", position 3` (see this GitHub [issue](https://github.com/conda/conda/issues/9749)) try running the below instead and press Enter in the Anaconda Prompt:\n",
+ " * `conda env create -f .\\environment_windows.yml`\n",
  " * Anaconda will then run all the necessary command to download the various packages above using conda and pip\n",
  " * At the end of the process you'll have a Python 3.7 conda environment with the name 'py37class' which you can use, with all the packages you'll need for this course, such as pandas, numpy etc.\n",
  " * Note that you may need to put in the full path for wherever you downloaded the `environment_windows.yml` file or you can simply `cd` to that folder and then run the above conda command\n",