Starting Python in XP Pro

[Grant Andrew]

1. Okay, I can open the interpreter and do math.  If only I needed the
answer to 6*7 I'd be great.  But, to your point, Python is installed and
working.

2.  When I went to the shortcut and hit properties, the path was

Target: C:\Python26\Lib\idlelib\idle.bat
Start in: C:\Python26\

I cd'd to C:\Python26\ at the command prompt and ran Lib\idlelib\idle.bat.

It just reprints C:\Python26\ with no error or message.  Looks like this:

C:\Python26>Lib\idlelib\idle.bat
C:\Python26>

3.  I created a simple file in Wordpad that prints a few lines.  It is
called Print.py but I'm not sure where the 'code' folder is.  I'm not
familiar enough with Python to locate a file from the Interpreter and open
it.

4.  I also tried editing the PATH variable, which did have both versions in
it, but with no success - same error.


Thanks for your help...

Grant


On Sun, Oct 17, 2010 at 4:17 AM, Dave Angel <davea at ieee.org> wrote:

>  On 10/16/2010 11:27 PM, Grant Andrew wrote:
>
>> I hear that...God knows if I had a more complete question, I'd type it -
>> basically, when I click the IDLE GUI icon from the Start Menu, there is a
>> flash of a command prompt loading, then nothing happens.
>>
>> I've tried a number of things at the command prompt over the last two
>> weeks
>> and five versions.  I went to ActiveState because I was thinking I had not
>> configured something properly in the Python.org versions, however, the
>> behavior is the same.
>>
>> I ran C:\>C:\python26\lib\idlelib\idle.py at the command prompt and that
>> returned:
>>
>> <snip>
>>
>
> You probably need to start with fundamentals.  That means using a command
> prompt.  As you've noticed, many times a program started from the start menu
> doesn't leave its command window open long enough to read the messages.
>
> I'm afraid I can't really help with Idle;  I've never tried using it, till
> today.  When I start if from ActiveState's menu, it flashes and exits for me
> as well.  Perhaps because we both have Thinkpads.  I notice the IBMTools
> directory in your traceback.  Perhaps there's an old version of TCL there
> that's interfering with the one Idle needs.  To start debugging it, figure
> out what the menu shortcut is doing, and do it yourself from a command
> window.  In my case,  StartIdle-right-click->properties->shortcut shows me:
>
> Target  C:\Progfiles\ActivePython26\Lib\idlelib\idle.bat
> Start in:  c:\progfiles\activePython26
>
> So you CD to the latter directory (or rather, to your equivalent one), and
> type lib\idlelib\idle.bat
>
> When I do that, I get an error message: "IDLE's subprocess didn't make
> connection.  Either IDLE can't start a subprocess or personal firewall
> software is blocking."
>
> But let's get your python itself working.  ActivePython's install adds
> itself to your path, so you should be able to just type
>     python
>  or   python26
>
> at the C: prompt, and get a Python interpreter prompt.  Then do something
> like
> >>> print 3*4
>
> to see if it's working.
>
> Next, write a small xxx.py  program, in your code directory, and NOT in the
> Python install directory.  From that code directory, type
>     python  xxx.py
>
> or whatever you called it.  Let us know if it works.
>
> Only then should you worry about associations.  You can check them with
> assoc and ftype, but people tell me that's not reliable if there is more
> than one user on the machine, or specifically if you have created
> user-specific associations, which take precedence over the ones in assoc and
> ftype.
>
> DaveA
>
>
>
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