Installation and Configuration#

The Installation and Configuration dialog box is a diagnostic tool available from DataLab’s graphical interface. It provides a structured overview of the current installation, user-specific settings, and available plugins and I/O features.

This tool is primarily designed for troubleshooting and verification purposes — whether you are a user trying to understand how DataLab is set up on your system, or a developer validating your plugin integration.

To open the dialog box, go to the “?” menu in the main DataLab window and select Installation and configuration. This will open a dialog window that displays all relevant information about your DataLab installation.

The dialog window is divided into three tabs, each covering a specific aspect of the environment.

1. Installation Configuration#

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Installation and configuration (see “?” menu), tab 1#

This tab displays system-level information about the DataLab installation, including:

  • Application version;

  • Platform and operating system;

  • Whether DataLab is running in frozen (standalone) mode or as a standard Python package;

  • Internal paths used for data storage and plugin discovery;

  • Python interpreter details (version, architecture, paths);

  • Location of the cdl package.

This section is especially useful for debugging path-related issues or confirming the installation context (e.g., standalone vs. pip-installed).

2. User Configuration#

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Installation and configuration (see “?” menu), tab 2#

This tab lists user-specific configuration details, through the contents of DataLab’s configuration file.

It helps users verify their personalized settings and ensures that DataLab is reading the correct directories for user-defined plugins or preferences.

3. Plugins and I/O Features#

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Installation and configuration (see “?” menu), tab 3#

This tab lists all plugins and I/O handlers currently available in the application.

This view is ideal for verifying that all expected plugins and I/O features are detected, loaded, and functional.

Usage Tips#

  • You can copy text from any of the tabs for diagnostic or support purposes.

  • If a plugin or I/O feature does not appear, check that its filename starts with cdl_ and that it is located in a recognized plugin directory (see the User Configuration tab).

Note

Reporting unexpected behavior or any other bug on GitHub Issues will be greatly appreciated, especially if the contents of this viewer are attached to the report (as well as log files, see Log viewer).