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I'm new to Python. I use Python 2.7 and I am running Windows Vista (64-bit). How do I make it when I click on .py scripts... that it opens up in IDLE so I can edit it a snap? Ya know... without having to open IDLE by itself.

I got all the way to C:\Python27\Lib\idlelib but I don't see the IDLE application.

Then when I do right-click and "Default open with" and select the idle.bat file.. I get this:

alt text

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6 Answers 6

Reset to default
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At least for Python 3.1 (it shouldn't be any different for 2.7), IDLE is located in C:\Python31\Lib\idlelib\idle.bat.

So to make it open Python scripts, right-click a script, go to Open with → Choose default program, click Browse, browse to C:\Python27\Lib\idlelib, and select idle.bat (the extension might not show depending on your Windows settings). Remember to check the Always use selected program to open this kind of file button if it isn't checked already.

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  • I can't... I get this error :(
    – test
    Jan 17, 2011 at 0:44
  • i.imgur.com/QTsEQ.jpg
    – test
    Jan 17, 2011 at 0:48
  • Choose "Select a program from a list of installed programs", and then click Browse and follow the rest of my instructions.
    – alpha123
    Jan 17, 2011 at 1:55
  • I did... THAT's the error I get when I follow those intructions.
    – test
    Jan 17, 2011 at 2:21
  • Do you ever get to a screen like this? ---> img600.imageshack.us/img600/8144/browsescreen.png
    – alpha123
    Jan 17, 2011 at 3:39
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Windows 7 Pro 64bit after installing python-3.5.1-amd64.exe had the same issue no edit context after install.

To correct: Right click .py file, open with Choose default program ... then assigned to: c:\users\myusername\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python35\pythonw.exe and selected "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file" & the .py files changed to the Python IDE icon & the edit context menu started showing up.

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  • 3
    That path helped me find it, but the program to open with is idle.bat in the idlelib folder.
    – ThisClark
    Oct 26, 2019 at 21:59
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The Python installer usually creates an "Edit with IDLE" context menu entry for .py files.

If it's not there on your machine, you can add it with the following registry file.

  • Save it as edit_with_idle.reg
  • Edit it and replace C:\\Python27 with the correct path to Python on your machine.
  • Import it into your registry by double-clicking it and confirming the warning message.

Reg file:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.File\shell\Edit with IDLE]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.File\shell\Edit with IDLE\command]
@="\"C:\\Python27\\pythonw.exe\" \"C:\\Python27\\Lib\\idlelib\\idle.pyw\" -e \"%1\""

An "Edit with IDLE" option should now appear when you right-click .py files.

If it doesn't, make sure that .py files are registered correctly: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.py\(Default) should contain Python.File.

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The below steps will work for Python 3.9.6.

  1. Right click the .py file and click Open with → Choose another app.

    Screenshot of right-click in File Epxlorer

  2. In the How do you want to open this file? dialogue box, make sure that the Always use this app to open .py files option is checked. Click on More apps ↓.

    enter image description here

  3. Scroll till the bottom and click on Look for another app on this PC.

    enter image description here

  4. In the Open with... dialogue box, go to C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python39\Lib\idlelib and click on idle.bat. Click on the Open button.

    Note:

    • Use your username in place of username.
    • Depending upon the version of Python, the file location will change.

    enter image description here

Now, all the .py files will be opened by default by IDLE.

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Don't you have "Edit with IDLE" among your options when you right-click a .py file? that should be IDLE's default behavior, maybe it can change according to some installation/system settings. I wouldn't set IDLE as the default program to open .py files, that's python's task. Also that would imply you don't get them executed when you double click them or type their extension-complete name in the command line.

If what i said above doesn't work for you, you could add the IDLE path you mentioned to the Path system variable in Windows, so you can type in the command line:

idle file_you_want_to_open.py
or
idle.py file_you_want_to_open.py

Once you add the IDLE path to the Path system variable you can also lauch IDLE typing "idle" in the box you get from windowsbutton-R. As a plus, you could add the .py estension to the PATHEXT system variable to have python scripts execute "by name only" like executables, system commands, compiled programs or whatever you call it.

note: this started as a comment, then got somehow ...lengthy. I believe you can find all i said, just better, in many python tutorials around the internet.

EDIT to fit your edited question: my previuos answer should solve your problem even if your system is not properly set to run .pyw files, anyway just choose "select a program from a list...", if python is not there look for it in its folder. It seems a matter of having python "linked" with .pyw files, like it's supposed to be. Just let me repeat: you don't want to have .py files open in IDLE by default, look at my answer above.

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If the file is a module ,i.e. has Python functions which require arguments, then using F5 in the IDLE editor window won't work. Perhaps need to create another file which calls the function with arguments and use F5 to execute that. Use import from filename import * to import the module with the function into this second script and then call the function with its arguments.

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