[Pythonmac-SIG] Newbie Python User Question About IDLE (File > New Window seems to disable IDLE)

[Ned Deily]

In article 
<AANLkTinrOvRM7zevgepVLRmwVaUbvyzC7a_Gihcu2FxY at mail.gmail.com>,
 Chris Rebert <pythonmac at rebertia.com> wrote:

> On Mon, Oct 4, 2010 at 3:51 PM, Richard Fuhr <richard.fuhr at gmail.com> wrote:
> > I am a new Python user and have started to explore a few of its basic
> > capabilities using IDLE
> >
> > I am running Mac OS X Snow Leopard ( version 10.6.4 )
> > with Python Version 2.6.1
> >                Tk Version 8.5
> >             IDLE Version 2.6.1
> > PS - Since first posting this question on another discussion group, I have
> > been told that there are indeed problems
> > with some versions of IDLE on the Mac, and was also urged to post this
> > question here on the pythonmac-sig group
> > for additional guidance.
> 
> I can confirm that under Snow Leopard's system/Framework Python+IDLE,
> doing File -> New Window creates a new window without any window
> decoration and then causes IDLE to hang.
> 
> However, there is no such problem with my Python 2.6.5 X11-based IDLE from 
> Fink.
> You might consider installing another Python from Fink[1] or
> MacPorts[2], since you don't want to muck around with the system
> Python anyway (you'll surely want to install 3rd party Python
> modules/packages at some point). Its IDLE ought to work.

Another option is to use the python.org 2.6.6 installer for Mac OS X 
which uses the Apple-supplied Aqua Tk 8.4 or an ActiveState Tk 8.4 (if 
you install it), so it does not use X11.  It's 32-bit only but IDLE and 
Tkinter work just fine.  You can download it from here: 

http://www.python.org/download/releases/2.6.6/

By the way, Python 2.7 is already out.  There are two OS X installers 
for 2.7.  If you want to try 2.7 and use IDLE, stick with the 32-bit 
"for 10.3 and later" installer; there are problems with the "10.5 and 
later" when used on 10.6 that will be fixed in the next release.

http://www.python.org/download/releases/2.7/

If you want to be on the cutting edge of new Python features, look at 
Python 3.  Python 3.1.2 is the most recent stable release; 3.2 is 
currently in alpha testing.  But there are some major incompatibilities 
between Python 2 and 3 and the two versions will co-exist for some time.

-- 
 Ned Deily,
 nad at acm.org