PsychoPy + VPixx + EyeLink — automated setup

Installs PsychoPy plus, depending on the facility, the VPixx pypixxlib and/or SR Research EyeLink pylink Python APIs, then verifies every import.

When you run it, it asks two things: which Scully facility you're setting up (this decides which APIs get installed), then how to install (conda env or Standalone app).

Facility → which APIs

#	Facility	EyeLink pylink	VPixx pypixxlib
1	MRI Facility	✅	—
2	MEG Lab	✅	✅
3	EEG Lab	✅	—
4	Eye Tracking Lab	✅	—
5	TMS Lab	—	—
6	Testing Room	—	—

PsychoPy itself installs at every facility.

Install modes

• Conda environment — no admin needed; installs a per-user Miniconda if required. Also installs psychtoolbox for low-latency audio.
• Standalone app — no admin needed; downloads the StandalonePsychoPy installer from PsychoPy's GitHub releases, runs it, then wires the relevant APIs into the app's bundled Python. (Standalone already ships psychtoolbox.)

Quick start

From PowerShell, in the folder containing the script:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\Install-PsychoPy.ps1

It prompts for the facility (1-6), the PsychoPy version (blank = latest), then the action (1 = conda, 2 = standalone, 3/4 = uninstall). To skip the prompts:

.\Install-PsychoPy.ps1 -Facility meg -PsychopyVersion latest -Mode conda
.\Install-PsychoPy.ps1 -Facility tms -PsychopyVersion 2024.2.4 -Mode standalone

The VPixx tarball and the EyeLink folder are auto-detected when needed.

Prerequisites (Windows)

1. EyeLink Developers Kit — Installed by Scully staff. Needed at MRI/MEG/EEG/Eye Tracking. Provides the pylink package under C:\Program Files (x86)\SR Research\EyeLink\SampleExperiments\Python\64\<pyver>\.
2. VPixx Software Tools — Installed by Scully staff. needed at the MEG Lab only. Provides pypixxlib-<ver>.tar.gz under C:\Program Files\VPixx Technologies\....
3. Internet access — for the Miniconda / Standalone download and the pip installs.

At TMS / Testing Rooms neither vendor package is required.

No admin rights are required. The vendor API packages live in Program Files (shared across accounts); the script only wires their Python bindings into the target interpreter.

Mode 1 — Conda environment

What it does:

0. If conda isn't present, silently installs a per-user Miniconda ("Just Me") to %USERPROFILE%\miniconda3 — no admin prompt, no PATH/registry changes for other users.
1. conda create -n psychopy python=3.10 (reuses an existing env unless -Force).
2. pip install --upgrade psychopy.
3. Installs pypixxlib-<ver>.tar.gz.
4. Writes a BOM-free pylink.pth into the env's site-packages pointing at the EyeLink folder that matches the env's Python version.
5. Installs psychtoolbox (skip with -SkipPsychtoolbox).
6. Verifies psychopy, pylink, pypixxlib, psychtoolbox, then runs conda init powershell so activation works.

When it finishes, the easiest way to start PsychoPy is the Desktop shortcut the script creates ("PsychoPy (psychopy env)") — it launches the app with no shell or activation needed. Otherwise, from the Anaconda PowerShell Prompt (Start menu) or a new PowerShell window:

conda activate psychopy
psychopy            # Coder/Builder GUI

Mode 2 — Standalone app

What it does:

1. Queries PsychoPy's GitHub releases for the latest StandalonePsychoPy-…-win64-<pyver>.exe and downloads it.
2. Launches the installer interactively so you choose the install location.
3. Locates the app's bundled Python, installs pypixxlib, writes the pylink.pth, and verifies imports (psychtoolbox is already bundled).

After it finishes, launch PsychoPy from the Start Menu — pylink and pypixxlib are available inside Builder/Coder.

Uninstalling

The menu also offers removal (or pass the mode directly):

• [3] / -Mode uninstall-conda — removes the psychopy conda env (conda env remove, plus any leftover env folder and the Desktop shortcut). Miniconda itself is left in place.
• [4] / -Mode uninstall-standalone — finds PsychoPy in the Windows uninstall registry and runs its uninstaller. If no registry entry is found, it offers to delete the install folder instead.

Both prompt for confirmation first; add -Force to skip the prompt.

Options

Flag	Purpose
-Mode <conda|standalone|uninstall-conda|uninstall-standalone>	Skip the interactive prompt.
-Facility <mri|meg|eeg|eyetracking|tms|testing>	Set the facility (decides the API set); skips the 1-6 prompt.
-PsychopyVersion <ver>	PsychoPy version (e.g. 2024.2.4) or latest; skips the version prompt.
-EnvName <name>	Conda env name (default psychopy).
-PyVersion <x.y>	Python version for the env / the Standalone build to pick (default 3.10).
-MinicondaPath <path>	Where to install/find the per-user Miniconda (default %USERPROFILE%\miniconda3).
-StandaloneDir <path>	Existing PsychoPy install folder (standalone mode).
-UseExistingConda	Use a conda already on PATH instead of installing Miniconda.
-VpixxTarball <path>	Explicit path to pypixxlib-*.tar.gz if auto-detect misses.
-PylinkDir <path>	Explicit path to ...\Python\64\<ver> (the folder containing pylink).
-SkipPsychtoolbox	Conda mode: don't install psychtoolbox.
-Force	Conda: recreate the env. Standalone: re-download/reinstall even if one is found.

Example with explicit paths (conda mode):

.\Install-PsychoPy.ps1 -Mode conda `
  -VpixxTarball "C:\Program Files\VPixx Technologies\Software Tools\pypixxlib\pypixxlib-1.11.3.tar.gz" `
  -PylinkDir "C:\Program Files (x86)\SR Research\EyeLink\SampleExperiments\Python\64\3.10" `
  -Force