Starting and stopping

These scripts are on a Mac; Linux will be the same, Windows slightly different. They're rough guides only, your system may vary.

Python/pip
Docker
Source

You can usually write a script to make your life easier.

If using pip

Assuming you're using venv:

cd ~/my_lute

# Activate the virtual environment
source myenv/bin/activate

# Start
python -m lute.main

# ... Open your web browser to http://localhost:5001.

# Leave the terminal window open while you're using Lute!

# When done, hit Ctl-C to stop

deactivate

Custom config.yml

By default, Lute stores your data in the appropriate "user data" directory, as determined by the PlatformDirs library.

If you want to change that or a few other basic settings, you can create a custom config.yml file and store it in the same folder where you run lute.main:

Copy the config.yml.example to a new file named config.yml in your Lute folder
edit and save it

Lute will automatically use that config.yml file when you run python -m lute.main.

Python/pip startup options

The python lute.main defaults for Lute startup should be fine for most people, but some things can be customized.

$ python -m lute.main --help
usage: main.py [-h] [--port PORT] [--config CONFIG]

Start lute.

optional arguments:
  -h, --help       show this help message and exit
  --port PORT      Port number (default: 5001)
  --config CONFIG  Custom path to override config file, if it's not named config.yml

e.g.

python -m lute.main --port 9876 --config ./my_personal_config.yml

If using Docker

Assuming you have your docker compose set up:

cd ~/my_lute_docker

# Run it:
docker compose up

# ... Open your web browser to http://localhost:5001.
# When done, hit Ctl-C to stop

You can also run it as a background job:

docker compose up -d
# ... use Lute, then to stop it:
docker compose down

If you installed from source

cd ~/my_lute_source
source .venv/bin/activate
inv start   # or "python -m lute.main"
# ... etc.
# Ctl-C when done.
deactivate

Startup scripts

Scripting is for everyone! Well, sort of. But for tedious commands like the above, it's perfect. Some ideas below:

On a Mac, with pip:

I start Lute with a small start.sh bash script containing the following:

#!/bin/bash

# Start venv, pull a version from pypi if specified, and start lute with this config.

source .venv/bin/activate

VERSION="$1"
if [[ -z "$VERSION" ]]; then
    echo "Using existing install."
else
    echo "Pulling version $VERSION"
    pip install --upgrade lute3==${VERSION}
fi

open http://localhost:9876
python -m lute.main --port 9876

With this, I just cd ~/lute; ./start.sh 3.0.0. The script fetches that version from Pypi, installs it, and starts a browser. Magic.

On Windows, with pip:

Open Notepad, and paste the following into a new file:

@echo
:: edit the file path below!!
cd **LUTE-FOLDER-FILE-PATH**
call myenv\Scripts\activate

:: Start a new Command Prompt instance with the activated virtual environment
start cmd /k python -m lute.main

Save that file as, say, lute.bat. Create a shortcut to this .bat file, and put it anywhere, pin it, etc as needed. Then you can start Lute with by double-clicking this file.

Lute manual