I am just starting to learn Python and I am using Windows 10. I downloaded and installed Python 3.4.3. But everytime I open Python from my Desktop or from C:\Python\python.exe it just opens a black command prompt without any Menu options like File menu, Edit Menu, Format Menu etc. I can't see any colors of the code, it's just black screen with white text. I searched about it on internet and came to know that what I am opening is the Editor winodws and I need to open Shell Window in order to have access to all of those options and features. I can't figure out where is the .exe of Shell Window and with what name is it? Please help me.
P.S. I also tried to open pythonw.exe that was present in the Python folder where it was installed, but nothing opened.
5 Answers
In Windows you will need to right click a .py, and press Edit to edit the file using IDLE. Since the default action of double clicking a .py is executing the file with python on a shell prompt.
To open just IDLE:
Click on that. C:\Python36\Lib\idlelib\idle.bat
Start menu > type IDLE (Python 3.4.3 <bitnum>-bit).
Replace <bitnum> with 32 if 32-bit, otherwise 64.
Example:
IDLE (Python 3.6.2 64-bit)
I agree with one who says:
just type "IDLE" in the start-menu where it says "Type here to search" and press [{ENTER}]
If your using Windows 10 just type in idle where it says: "Type here for search"
My solution to setting options and then invoking Idle on a python script is:
Set optn=blah
...
Set optn=blah
start pythonw C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36-32\Lib\idlelib\idle.py STFxlate.py
This allows you to setup the environment prior to invoking idle. This assumes that pythonw is in the current path
For those using Anaconda, type idle on windows search bar ("Run or Execute command"). This probably wont work if you didn't install anaconda with environment variables. You can also go to
Anaconda3 folder > Scripts >idle.exe
and create a shortcut to you desktop.
