Pre-conference installation

Complete these steps before the PEARC tutorial session. Conference Wi‑Fi is shared and limited (~1 GB across all tutorials/workshops), so please do not wait until you are in the room to install or clone.

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Required software

Install and verify each of the following on your laptop before the conference.

Cursor

1. Download Cursor from https://cursor.com
2. Install and open the app
3. Sign in with your account (create one if needed)

You will use Ask, Agent, and Plan modes during the session.

Python

You need Python 3.10+ on your PATH.

python3 --version

If that fails, install Python from https://www.python.org/downloads/ (or your OS package manager), then confirm python3 --version again.

On Windows, the installer option “Add python.exe to PATH” should be enabled.

Git

You need Git to clone the workshop repository.

git --version

If that fails:

• macOS: install Xcode Command Line Tools (xcode-select --install) or Git from https://git-scm.com/download/mac
• Windows: install from https://git-scm.com/download/win
• Linux: use your package manager (e.g. sudo apt install git / sudo dnf install git)

Then confirm git --version again.

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Clone this repository

git clone https://github.com/ND-DAC-DOME/pearc26-workshop-cursor.git
cd pearc26-workshop-cursor

Open the repo folder in Cursor: File → Open Folder…

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Set up the Python environment (shared)

Create one virtual environment at the repository root. It is used for Module 2 and Module 3.

python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate          # Windows: .venv\Scripts\activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

Participant runtime needs pillow (PNG wind maps) and mcp (Module 3 station metadata tools). Each module bundles its own data/ folder.

NOTE: This repository ships with an MCP server that loads automatically, but it cannot run until the above step is completed. Restarting Cursor after this step is the easiest way to fix this.

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Smoke test (optional but recommended)

With the venv activated and your shell at the repository root:

python "Module 2 - Cursor Basics/scripts/plot_wind_map.py"

Open Module 2 - Cursor Basics/output/wind_map.png. You should see a CONUS basemap (wind overlays are added during the live Module 2 session).

You can also spot-check Module 3’s finished map:

python "Module 3 - Advanced Cursor Features/scripts/plot_wind_map.py" --timestamp 2025-06-11T12:00:00Z

Open Module 3 - Advanced Cursor Features/output/wind_map.png. You should see a CONUS map with wind barbs.

You do not need to explore the rest of the materials yet — save the hands-on steps for the live session.

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Day-of checklist

Bring a laptop with:

• Cursor installed and signed in
• Python 3.10+ available (python3 --version)
• Git available (git --version)
• This repo cloned
• Root .venv created and pip install -r requirements.txt succeeded
• (Optional) Module 2 and/or Module 3 smoke-test PNG opened successfully

If anything fails, arrive 10 minutes early — we will have backup USB copies of the workshop folders and wheels.

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Need help before the conference?

Use the contact listed in your registration materials. Please include your OS (macOS / Windows / Linux) and the output of python3 --version and git --version.