Both Python 2.5.2 and 2.7.2 flop the same way under Win 7

[W. eWatson]

On 11/18/2011 9:12 AM, MRAB wrote:
> On 18/11/2011 15:29, W. eWatson wrote:
>> On 11/18/2011 5:11 AM, Neil Cerutti wrote:
>>> On 2011-11-18, W. eWatson<wolftracks at invalid.com> wrote:
>>>> On 11/17/2011 4:24 PM, Steven D'Aprano wrote:
>>>>> On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:03:14 -0800, W. eWatson wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> I have not found any successful way to get to IDLE. It's on on the
>>>>>> right-click of a py menu, and, if I go the ...lib/idle.pyw, it fails
>>>>>> with a "invalid Win32 app" msg.
>>>>>
>>>>> If you associate .pyw files with pythonw.exe, and then open idle.pyw,
>>>>> does it work?
>>>>>
>>>>> Failing that, go to your laptop where the associations are right,
>>>>> and see
>>>>> what they are, then duplicate the settings on your Windows 7 machine.
>>>>
>>>> Sounds like a good idea except I've not used associations in so
>>>> long under XP, I have no idea where to start. Control Panel. My
>>>> Computer Tools?
>>>
>>> Open Windows Explorer.
>>> With the menu, to to Tools->Folder Options
>>> Click the File Types tab in the Folder Options menu.
>>>
>>> There will be an upper view with registered filed types, and some
>>> buttons below far making changes to them.
>>>
>> OK, I've found that. I see
>> Py
>> Pyc
>> Pyo
>> Pyw
>> If I click on each, it basically it gives a short description of each.
>> If I click advanced, there's more info. For example for py, Actions are
>> IDLE and Open.
>>
>> What does this tell me that's relevant to Win7?
>>
>> If on Win7, I go to Default Programs I see under associations various
>> python items. Py shows Unknown application. Since installing 2.7.2 I
>> have not messed with these associations. If I right-click on Unknown, I
>> see Notepad and python.exe for choices to open the file. I want neither.
>> Why isn't IDLE listed there?
>>
>> If I right-click on junk.py, I see "Open with". Notepad and python.exe
>> are choices. However, that menu allows me to choose something else. For
>> example, Adobe Reader, or Internet Explorer. I suppose the next question
>> is should I use the browse there and try to connect to IDLE in
>> ...\Lib\idlelib? My guess is that if I do, I will run into the "invalid
>> Win32 app", when I try to use it.
>>
> You can't associate .py with Idle because Idle is a Python script, not
> an executable (an .exe).

Odd, but OK.

>
> Have a look here:
> http://superuser.com/questions/68852/change-windows-7-explorer-edit-context-menu-action-for-jpg-and-other-image-fil
Are you suggesting that I use the "default" program mentioned there?
>
>
> In my PC's registry (Windows XP, but Windows 7 should be similar or the
> same) it has the entry:
>
> Key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.File\shell\Edit with IDLE\command
> Value: "C:\Python31\pythonw.exe" "C:\Python31\Lib\idlelib\idle.pyw" -n
> -e "%1"
>
> Note how it actually associates the Edit action of Python files with an
> .exe file.
So pythonw.exe and idle.pyw are not scripts but somehow can fire up idle?

Are you suggesting I modify my registry?  I still find it bizarre the 
install did not put it IDLE choice on the menu for py. It's there on XP.