--- /home/romeo/Desktop/idlelib/PyShell.py	2009-01-17 15:14:23.000000000 -0500
+++ /usr/lib/python3.0/idlelib/PyShell.py	2009-01-17 22:50:41.000000000 -0500
@@ -1378,6 +1378,26 @@
     if enable_edit:
         if not (cmd or script):
             for filename in args:
+                # If a file does not exist, create it:
+                # Test for file existence:
+                r_exists = False
+                try:
+                    r_file = open(filename)
+                except IOError:
+                    r_exists = False
+                else:
+                    r_exists = True
+                    r_file.close()
+                # If the file doesn't exist, create it:
+                if not r_exists:
+                    try:
+                        r_file = open(filename, "w")
+                        r_file.close()
+                    except IOError:
+                        # Can't create the file.
+                        # I expect that the next thing that you do is try
+                        # to open the file, so I'll let you deal with it.
+                        pass
                 flist.open(filename)
             if not args:
                 flist.new()