How can I install CPLEX for Python so I can access it via Jupyter?

Question

I have already downloaded the CPLEX Studio. I am an absolute command prompt beginner, so following IBM's tutorials to install the API is proving to be very difficult. I want to get to the point where I can import cplex in Jupyter. I have reviewed other similar questions, but those answers are difficult to understand (for me). Is anyone able to explicitly explain how to do this in layman's terms?

Answer 1

If you can provide your OS, CPLEX version, python version and how you run jupyter, I can provide you the exact commands to run.

You basically want to have a command prompt setup with the same python interpreter you use for jupyter. Assuming CPLEX 12.10, you want to

$ cd $CPLEX_STUDIO_DIR1210/python/VERSION/PLATFORM
$ python setup.py install

(where VERSION is your python version, likely 3.6 or 3.7, PLATFORM is your OS platform)

For reference the doc is here: https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSSA5P_12.10.0/ilog.odms.cplex.help/CPLEX/GettingStarted/topics/set_up/Python_setup.html

Answer 2

You can do the installation from a jupyter notebook. Just create a new notebook, then:

If you are using the Community Edition, just create a cell with:

!pip install cplex

If you want to use an edition already downloaded on your disk, create a cell with:

%cd "C:\Program Files\IBM\ILOG\CPLEX_Studio1210\cplex\python\3.7\x64_win64"
!pip install .

You need to do this only once. After pip finishes, you just need to restart your jupyter.