How can I execute Python scripts using Anaconda's version of Python?

Question

I recently downloaded the Anaconda distribution for Python. I noticed that if I write and execute a Python script (by double-clicking on its icon), my computer (running on W

Answer 1

Set your python path to the Anaconda version instead

Windows has a built-in dialog for changing environment variables (following guide applies to XP classical view): Right-click the icon for your machine (usually located on your Desktop and called “My Computer”) and choose Properties there. Then, open the Advanced tab and click the Environment Variables button.

In short, your path is:

My Computer ‣ Properties ‣ Advanced ‣ Environment Variables In this dialog, you can add or modify User and System variables. To change System variables, you need non-restricted access to your machine (i.e. Administrator rights).

Find your PATH variable and add the location of your Anaconda directory.

Example of someone doing it here: How to add to the PYTHONPATH in Windows, so it finds my modules/packages? Make sure that you sub path out for the Anaconda file though.

Answer 2

I like to run a "bare-bones" version of Python 2 to verify scripts that I create for other people without an advanced python setup. But Anaconda and Python 3 have a lot of nice features. To enjoy both things on the same computer I do this on my Windows computer which allows me to easily switch.

C:\Users>python --version
Python 2.7.11

C:\Users>conda create --name p3 python=3

C:\Users>conda info --envs
Using Anaconda Cloud api site https://api.anaconda.org
# conda environments:
#
p3                       C:\Anaconda3\envs\p3
root                  *  C:\Anaconda3

C:\Users>activate p3
Deactivating environment "C:\Anaconda3"...
Activating environment "C:\Anaconda3\envs\p3"...

[p3] C:\Users>python --version
Python 3.5.1 :: Continuum Analytics, Inc.

For more info: http://conda.pydata.org/docs/test-drive.html

Answer 3

The instructions in the official Python documentation worked for me: https://docs.python.org/2/using/windows.html#executing-scripts

1. Launch a command prompt.

2. Associate the correct file group with .py scripts:

   assoc .py=Python.File
   

Redirect all Python files to the new executable:

    ftype Python.File=C:\Path\to\pythonw.exe "%1" %*

The example shows how to associate the .py extension with the .pyw executable, but it works if you want to associate the .py extension with the Anaconda Python executable. You need administrative rights. The name "Python.File" could be anything, you just have to make sure is the same name in the ftype command. When you finish and before you try double-clicking the .py file, you must change the "Open with" in the file properties. The file type will be now ".py" and it is opened with the Anaconda python.exe.

Answer 4

I know this is an old post, but I recently came across with the same problem. However, adding Anaconda to PYTHONPATH wasn't working for me. What got it fixed was the following:

1. Added Anaconda to the PYTHONPATH and remove any other distribution of Python from any paths.
2. Opened the command prompt and started python (Here I had to verify that it was indeed running under the Anaconda dist)

3. Ran the following lines inside anaconda

   >>> import sys
   >>> sys.path
   ['','C:\\Anaconda','C:\\Anaconda\\Scripts','C:\\Anaconda\\python27.zip','C:\\Anaconda\\DLLs','C:\\Anaconda\\lib','C:\\Anaconda\\lib\\plat-win','C:\\Anaconda\\lib\\lib-tk','C:\\Anaconda\\lib\\site-packages','C:\\Anaconda\\lib\\site-packages\\PIL','C:\\Anaconda\\lib\\site-packages\\Sphinx-1.2.3-py2.7.egg','C:\\Anaconda\\lib\\site-packages\\win32', 'C:\\Anaconda\\lib\\site-packages\\win32\\lib', 'C:\\Anaconda\\lib\\site-packages\\Pythonwin','C:\\Anaconda\\lib\\site-packages\\runipy-0.1.1-py2.7.egg','C:\\Anaconda\\lib\\site-packages\\setuptools-5.8-py2.7.egg']
   

4. Copied the displayed path

5. Within the script that I'm trying to execute on double click, changed the path to the previously copied one.

   import sys
   sys.path =['','C:\\Anaconda','C:\\Anaconda\\Scripts','C:\\Anaconda\\python27.zip','C:\\Anaconda\\DLLs','C:\\Anaconda\\lib','C:\\Anaconda\\lib\\plat-win','C:\\Anaconda\\lib\\lib-tk','C:\\Anaconda\\lib\\site-packages','C:\\Anaconda\\lib\\site-packages\\PIL','C:\\Anaconda\\lib\\site-packages\\Sphinx-1.2.3-py2.7.egg','C:\\Anaconda\\lib\\site-packages\\win32', 'C:\\Anaconda\\lib\\site-packages\\win32\\lib', 'C:\\Anaconda\\lib\\site-packages\\Pythonwin','C:\\Anaconda\\lib\\site-packages\\runipy-0.1.1-py2.7.egg','C:\\Anaconda\\lib\\site-packages\\setuptools-5.8-py2.7.egg']
   

6. Changed the default application for the script to 'python'

After doing this, my scripts are working on double click.

Answer 5

You can try to change the default .py program via policy management. Go to windows, search for regedit, right click it. And then run as administrator. Then, you can search the key word "python.exe" And change your Python27 path to you Anaconda path.

Answer 6

I know this is old, but none of the answers here is a real solution if you want to be able to double-click Python files and have the correct interpreter used without modifying your PYTHONPATH or PATH every time you want to use a different interpreter. Sure, from the command line, activate my-environment works, but OP specifically asked about double-clicking.

In this case, the correct thing to do is use the Python launcher for Windows. Then, all you have to do is add #! path\to\interpreter\python.exe to the top of your script. Unfortunately, although the launcher comes standard with Python 3.3+, it is not included with Anaconda (see Python & Windows: Where is the python launcher?), and the simplest thing to do is to install it separately from here.