How can I run IDLE for Python 3 in a Conda environment?

Question

For running Python 2, all I do is activate the required Conda environment and just type idle. It automatically opens IDLE for Python 2.7.

But I can't figure out how to do this for Python 3. I have Python 3.5 installed in my environment. I used conda create -n py35 anaconda for installing Python 3.5.

Variable

at least in windows, I found the idle command not good enough for me, so I make a direct access to classic idle with this destination: C:\Anaconda3\pythonw.exe "C:\Anaconda3\Lib\idlelib\idle.pyw". Maybe something similar may work for you – Hymnology

Answer 1

For how to open IDLE from a Conda virtualenv, the process that works for me is:

activate myenv
python -m idlelib

This should open up the IDLE editor and you can run code within myenv.

Stonge

Answer 2

Type idle3 instead of idle from your Conda environment.

Brianna

That didn't work for me. Idle for python 3 is simply called idle.exe in the /scripts directory now. – Jurgen

@chrisfs: The same for some versions of some Linux distributions: idle, not idle3, for launching IDLE 3. Using idle3 results in "Command 'idle3' not found" – Radii

Answer 3

To install another version of Python (e.g., Python 3.5.2), when using Anaconda for one version of Python (e.g., Python 2.7), you can do the following on the Anaconda prompt:

First, create a new Conda environment and install Python 3.5.2 with anaconda:

conda create -n py352 python=3.5.2 anaconda

Once complete, if you want to access IDLE of Python 3.5.2 quickly on Windows:

• Go to the "C:\..Anaconda\envs\py352" folder in Explorer

• Create a shortcut for pythonw.exe file located on that folder.

• Move the shortcut to your Desktop or any other location easily accessible

• Right-click the shortcut, go to Properties, and change the target field in the Shortcut tab from

  C:\....\Anaconda\envs\py352\pythonw.exe
  

  to

  C:\...\Anaconda\envs\py352\pythonw.exe "C:\...\Anaconda\envs\py352\Lib\idlelib\idle.pyw"
  

Resnatron

For me this does start idle but it doesn't have the right path for all the DLLs that are installed into that Anaconda Env. So some imports fail. – Cumber

Answer 4

The other answer for creating a shortcut did not work for me, but I was able to get this to work:

• Create your Conda environment if you haven't already. I'll call mine my_env.
• Navigate to the C:\...\Anaconda\envs\my_env\Lib\idlelib\ directory
• Create a shortcut for idle.bat
• Move the shortcut to another location, rename it, and pin it as desired.

Serrulate