[Biopython] starting with biopython

[Peter Cock]

On Wed, May 23, 2012 at 3:18 PM, jose gil <josefergil at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello everyone,
>
> I'm starting with the program and I have some problems, because I don't
> know how download the files in order the program can load them.
> from the python shell I follow the instructions in the tutorial in order to
> load the sequence but I don't know actually where is the correct place to
> save the files I download for example from GenBank.
>
> Thank you very much for your help,

The simplest approach is to put your Python scripts and data files
all in the same folder together. Then you don't need to bother with
giving paths, just local filenames will be fine.

Some experience with working at the command line would help
with understanding paths, absolute paths, and relative paths.

Are you working on Windows?

Note that by default Windows hides the extension of known
file formats - I always turn this off so that in Explorer I see the
full file names. What I mean is I prefer to see "example.fasta"
and "example.gbk" instead of two files apparently called
"example" but with a different icon. You'll find there are lots
of file extensions in Bioinformatics, and they are important.

Peter