how do I launch IDLE, the development environment

Question

I am running python 2.7.1. I can't figure out how to launch the IDLE IDE. I am told it comes already installed with python, but I can't find it using spotlight.

Answer 1

In the stock Mac OS X python installation, idle is found in /usr/bin, which is not (easily) accessible from Finder and not indexed by Spotlight. The quickest option is to open the Terminal utility and type 'idle' at the prompt. For a more Mac-like way of opening it, you'll have to create a small app or shortcut to launch /usr/bin/idle for you (an exercise left to the reader).

Answer 2

1. After you launch idle from the command line (make sure idle shell window has focus), click File, click "New File". A new window opens; this is your editor.

2. Type your program in the editor. Click "File", click "Save As...". Save your file somewhere with any name you choose, and a ".py" extension to the file name.

3. Click "Run", click "Run Module" (or, F5). Assuming no errors, the results will appear in the Shell window. Edit your file & repeat as necessary.

Answer 3

When you open up a new terminal window, just type in

idle

Then you will see a little rocket icon show up as IDLE loads

Then the Python shell opens up for you to edit

Answer 4

As to the earlier questions about starting IDLE: you can certainly start it from the command line. Also, if you installed Python using Homebrew, you can run 'brew linkapps' (from the command line); that will place an app for IDLE (among other things) in Launchpad (Applications folder).

Answer 5

so for python 3.4.3 in applications a folder named "python 3.4" click that and click IDLE.

for python 2.7.9 go here https://www.python.org/downloads/ and get 2.7.9 and a folder named "python 2.7" click that and click IDLE.

Answer 6

I think the shell command is

 python -m idlelib.idle 

but i am not a mac user so i can't test.