The elegant way to install Brownie on Windows without encountering Cytoolz errors with venv working.

[n4n0b1t3]

Edit: When using the latest Python version you might run into problems at the end of lesson 6.
If your issues are similar to this: StackOverflow issue
Please consider downgrading your Python to 3.9.10. But don't worry, you won't need to do this for your standard python installation, just for your project folder. Here is an article on how to do this: #1109

Please don't skip this article though, it contains an important part about the Visual C++ build tool installation.

If you are running into difficulties installing brownie as described in the video in lesson 5, this article here might help to solve the issue. After the kind feedback from @cromewar that pipx is not necessary, I was able to simplify the installation significantly. AND!!! We can use Python's virtual environment. \o/ Here is the result:

Install part of the Visual C++ build tools: Download and install https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/visual-cpp-build-tools/

Select only the module ticked off in the screenshot (German system) and continue with the installation.

Open Powershell and create your project directory with e.g.
>mkdir brownie_simple_storage
Change to the project directory
>cd brownie_simple_storage

Create a virtual environment
brownie_simple_storage>python -m venv .venv

Activate the virtual environment
brownie_simple_storage>.\.venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1

Optional: update pip
(.venv) brownie_simple_storage>python.exe -m pip install --upgrade pip

Important, otherwise you will get the infamous error: Install Cython
(.venv) brownie_simple_storage>pip install Cython

Finally, install brownie
(.venv) brownie_simple_storage>pip install eth-brownie

Test Brownie with
(.venv) brownie_simple_storage>brownie --version

Now... Brownie is a little shy and wants his own room. No open office for Brownie.

(.venv) brownie_simple_storage>mkdir sources
(.venv) brownie_simple_storage>cd sources
(.venv) sources>brownie init

OK, not finished yet. Brownie depends on "ganache-cli" which is deprecated but the new "ganache" works just fine. There is one step you need elevated rights, so you need to open Powershell as admin. (press Win key >enter "powershell" > right click on Powershell in start menu > select "run as administrator" > confirm > navigate to your project directory).

Activate your virtual environment
brownie_simple_storage>.\.venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1

Install Nodeenv
(.venv) brownie_simple_storage>pip install nodeenv

Connect nodeenv with your virtual Python environment

(.venv) brownie_simple_storage>nodeenv -p
 * Install prebuilt node (17.4.0) ..... done.

Install ganache
(.venv) brownie_simple_storage>npm install -g ganache

Test ganache
(.venv) brownie_simple_storage>ganache --version

run *.py script with Brownie

(.venv) brownie_simple_storage>cd sources
(.venv) sources>brownie run .\scripts\deploy.py

Das Leben ist kein Ponnyhof!

[cromewar]

Nice one, as I already said have you consider writing articles of this?

[cromewar]

That's weird, as you should use the compile command on the root folder of the project, could you try again but first delete the build folder?

[n4n0b1t3]

super weird, I just removed the JSON file, tried to recreate the issue and now it works.
About articles at Medium. Which of my posts do you deem worthy for Medium?

[n4n0b1t3]

like this: https://n4n0b1t3.medium.com/running-brownie-on-windows-in-a-virtual-environment-without-encountering-cytoolz-errors-d0095fad905

[cromewar]

super weird, I just removed the JSON file, tried to recreate the issue and now it works. About articles at Medium. Which of my posts do you deem worthy for Medium?

Interesting, not sure why it happened tough.

[cromewar]

like this: https://n4n0b1t3.medium.com/running-brownie-on-windows-in-a-virtual-environment-without-encountering-cytoolz-errors-d0095fad905

Nice!!

I would say you can create a compilation of the tips you gave us and create like a one big article.. may be?