Python IDLE: Change Python Version

Question

I have Python 2.x and 3.x on my machine (Mac OS X 10.6). For some things I want to use ver 2, but for others I want ver 3. I like the IDLE software for editing/running, but it always uses version 3.

Is there any way to change the version of the interpreter that IDLE uses?

Thanks!

Answer 1

In the Windows environment, if you want to use particular install of IDLE, I find the easiest way is to right click on the .py file and choose "open with". Then navigate to the IDLE.bat file in the Python version install location you want to use. I find picking just the ilde.py doesn't work but the .bat file does.

E. g.

D:\Python27\ArcGISx6410.4\Lib\idlelib\idle.bat

or

D:\Python27Desktop\ArcGIS10.4\Lib\idlelib\idle.bat

Answer 2

Usually each Python version installs its own version of IDLE. I don't know how this works on Mac, but for Windows it works like this:

python2.7 C:\Program Files\Python27\Lib\idlelib\idle.pyw

starts the Python 2 IDLE and

python3.2 C:\Program Files\Python32\Lib\idlelib\idle.pyw

starts the Python 3 IDLE.

Answer 3

There are different versions of IDLE installed for each Python version. Depending on how you installed Python on Mac OS X, you may find different folders in /Applications. Look for a Python 3.n (n = 1 or 2) folder with an IDLE in it. Or, from a terminal command line, you may find an idle2.6 and an idle3 or idle3.1 or idle3.2.

Answer 4

I use Sublime 3 as my editor on mac. Several backend files required changes. Changes were made to Python3.sublime-build file:

{
"cmd": ["/usr/local/bin/python3", "-u", "$file"],
"file_regex": "^[ ]*File \"(...*?)\", line ([0-9]*)",
"selector": "source.python",
"encoding": "utf8",
"path": "/usr/local/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.3/bin/"
}

The SublimeREPL package was also installed.

The Main.sublime-menu file was edited to reflect the following:

{"command": "repl_open",
 "caption": "Python3 - RUN current file",
 "id": "repl_python_run",
  "mnemonic": "d",
  "args": {
        "type": "subprocess",
        "encoding": "utf8",
        "cmd": ["python3", "-u", "$file_basename"],
        "cwd": "$file_path",
        "syntax": "Packages/Python/Python.tmLanguage",
        "external_id": "python",
        "extend_env": {"PYTHONIOENCODING": "utf-8"}
        }
}

These are the major changes in a nutshell. More details with guided step-by-step instructions are available at Setting Up Sublime Text 3 for Python3 Development.