Open multiple IDLE shells in python 3.6 Mac OSX 10.12

Question

I want to run two or more different python scripts simultaneously in IDLE. I want to use IDLE directly, not terminal. I want to use all of them with Python 3.6. I'm on Mac 10.12. Can I do this?

This opens a Python 2.7 IDLE window. I don't understand this.

If I CAN'T do this, can I run multiple python scripts from the terminal simultaneously?

Gensmer

What makes you think you can't run multiple scripts from the command line simultaneously? – Chenopod

This also depends on how you installed Python 3. The command idle3 opens the version 3 IDLE for me and I seem to be running several of them without any issue. But not running IDLE seems like a much more fruitful and normal thing to do. – Chenopod

In one terminal, run python3 ./script1.py. In another terminal, run python3 ./script2.py. Or if the first one doesn't require any user interaction, you can run it in the background with python3 ./script1.py & and run the second one in the same terminal – Chenopod

Some programs take measures to ensure that only one instance of the program is running. Python and IDLE do not. – Kuhns

Answer 1

Yes, you can. From a terminal window type idle3 &. This will bring up the idle3 window and leaving the terminal window still functional. Now type idle3 & again and you'll get another idle3 window. You can do this more times if needed.

An alternative method is to open an iTerm or Terminal window and under the shell menu, you can open a new tab. Do this however many times you wish. Now in each tab type idle3. You can open as many idle3 windows as you wish.

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