Merge pull request #3 from MShirazAhmad/copilot/revise-readme-installation-instructions

Add clear source installation and startup instructions to README and Read the Docs

Author: MShirazAhmad

README.md

@@ -6,6 +6,52 @@
 
 PhysPlot is a scientific plotting software with a graphical user interface, designed to produce publication-ready 2D plots. It supports vector and bitmap output, including PDF, Postscript, SVG and EPS. It allows data to be imported from text, CSV and Excel files and It can export data in text format. Datasets can also be entered within the program, and new datasets can be created via the manipulation of existing datasets using mathematical expressions.
 
+## Quick Start (from source)
+
+Clone the repository:
+
+```bash
+git clone https://github.com/MShirazAhmad/PhysPlot.git
+cd PhysPlot
+```
+
+Create and activate a virtual environment:
+
+```bash
+python -m venv .venv
+```
+
+On macOS/Linux:
+
+```bash
+source .venv/bin/activate
+```
+
+On Windows (PowerShell):
+
+```powershell
+.venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
+```
+
+Install dependencies:
+
+```bash
+python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+python -m pip install -r requirements.txt
+```
+
+Run PhysPlot:
+
+```bash
+python PhysPlot.py
+```
+
+Alternative module entry point:
+
+```bash
+python -m physplot
+```
+
 ## License, Tutorials, and Contributions
 
 PhysPlot source code is licensed under the PolyForm Noncommercial License 1.0.0. You may fork PhysPlot, study the code, make noncommercial improvements, and submit revisions back through pull requests.

docs/installation.rst

@@ -7,20 +7,40 @@ Prerequisites
 - Python 3.7 or newer
 - pip
 
-Usage modes
------------
+Clone the repository
+--------------------
 
-PhysPlot is available in two common modes:
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   git clone https://github.com/MShirazAhmad/PhysPlot.git
+   cd PhysPlot
+
+Create and activate a virtual environment
+-----------------------------------------
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   python -m venv .venv
+
+On macOS/Linux:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   source .venv/bin/activate
+
+On Windows (PowerShell):
+
+.. code-block:: powershell
 
-1. Packaged desktop builds when provided by the official PhysPlot project.
-2. Python script execution using ``PhysPlot.py``.
+   .venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
 
 Install Python dependencies
 ---------------------------
 
 .. code-block:: bash
 
-   pip install PyQt5 matplotlib numpy scipy pandas
+   python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+   python -m pip install -r requirements.txt
 
 Run PhysPlot
 ------------
@@ -31,5 +51,11 @@ From the project directory:
 
    python PhysPlot.py
 
+Alternative module entry point:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   python -m physplot
+
 Keep the ``physplot/inc`` image assets with the source tree so the GUI can load
 the official app icon and logo.