Can't get python running

[Paul Moore]

On 21 January 2018 at 01:53, Chris Angelico <rosuav at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sun, Jan 21, 2018 at 12:46 PM, Steven D'Aprano
> <steve+comp.lang.python at pearwood.info> wrote:
>> On Sun, 21 Jan 2018 12:21:40 +1100, Chris Angelico wrote:
>>
>>> Jim, let the installer put it where it wants to, and make sure you've
>>> added it to PATH. Then you should be able to type "py" to start Python.
>>
>> Shouldn't the installer ensure that it puts "py" somewhere on the path?
>>
>
> Only if you tick the box to do that (or at least, that was the case a
> few versions ago). You don't have to do it manually, but you do have
> to make sure the box is ticked. (Which might just mean making sure you
> don't UNtick it; I don't know what the default is.)

The "py" launcher is always added to PATH. It's installed by default
(and always has been I believe) although there is a checkbox you can
untick if you don't want to install it.

What's less reliable is whether the "python.exe" executable is on
PATH. That's been on and off by default depending on the Python
version, and is currently (3.6) off, for reasons to do with the
precedence of the user and system parts of the PATH variable (which
are important, but that's not much help to people who wish that after
you installed Python, typing "python" at the command prompt would just
work...)

Paul