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classification
Title: Add 'make this my default python' to windows installs for Python3.5 and later
Type: Stage: resolved
Components: IDLE, Installation, Windows Versions: Python 3.6, Python 3.5
process
Status: closed Resolution: out of date
Dependencies: Superseder:
Assigned To: Nosy List: abarry, lac, paul.moore, steve.dower, terry.reedy, tim.golden, zach.ware
Priority: normal Keywords:

Created on 2015-10-09 09:13 by lac, last changed 2022-04-11 14:58 by admin. This issue is now closed.

Messages (11)
msg252595 - (view) Author: Laura Creighton (lac) Date: 2015-10-09 09:13
webmaster is hearing from children who have downloaded 3.5 but who
are still getting 2.7 when they click on desktop Python icons, and
type python at a console prompt.

a checkbox on the installer saying 'make this my default python' that
would then go off any do all that is necessary in this regard would
make their lives easier.
msg252598 - (view) Author: Anilyka Barry (abarry) * (Python triager) Date: 2015-10-09 11:53
What about the `py' launcher? It will always launch the latest installed version.
msg252606 - (view) Author: Steve Dower (steve.dower) * (Python committer) Date: 2015-10-09 13:08
The py launcher will prefer 2.7 because that's what was decided when it was added. We're probably getting to a stage where we can revert that.

Unfortunately, there's no way we can reliably fix system configuration without corrupting the users machine. Using the py launcher with -3 is currently the best way to do it.

I don't know where the desktop shortcuts are coming from - they're not ours, so we can't fix them.
msg252608 - (view) Author: Anilyka Barry (abarry) * (Python triager) Date: 2015-10-09 13:23
Oh, I didn't know the py launcher preferred 2.7 - I always work with 3.x; my bad.
msg252624 - (view) Author: Laura Creighton (lac) Date: 2015-10-09 15:54
checking, these kids are using computers where, at some point, somebody moved the idle shortcut from their 2.7 folder to the desktop.  Which was probably a very bad idea.

But what should I tell them to do to get 3.5 there instead?

(adding IDLE to 'Type')
msg252633 - (view) Author: Steve Dower (steve.dower) * (Python committer) Date: 2015-10-09 17:35
They can find the 3.5 shortcut in their Start Menu (either by browsing or searching for "IDLE") and then move that to their desktop.

Depending on operating system version, moving it could be:

* drag from the Start Menu to the desktop and drop it
* right-click and choose "Send To -> Desktop (create shortcut)", OR
* right-click, choose "Open File Location" and then right-click again in the new window and choose "Send To -> Desktop (create shortcut)"
msg252652 - (view) Author: Terry J. Reedy (terry.reedy) * (Python committer) Date: 2015-10-09 20:44
There used to be such a checkbox, but apparently it had problems.  But there is still something with that effect, at least in part.  When I installed 3.5.0, 'python' was switched from 3.4 to 3.5.  That did not happen with the preliminary releases, because I did somethng different.  Sorry, I don't remember what.

I don't like using the start menu over and over either.  So I pin frequently used programs to the taskbar -- always visible.  The 2.7 IDLE icon just says Python GUI.  In 3.4, it is Python 3.4 GUI.  Ditto for 3.5 and the future.

Steve: when Firefox and some other programs upgrade, the pinned icon remains.  When Python upgrades, the pinned IDLE icon disappears.  When, as is normal, the upgrade is in the same directory, is there any way to leave the icon, since it still points to the right directory and filename?  Or is this icon binary specific?
msg252700 - (view) Author: Laura Creighton (lac) Date: 2015-10-10 10:25
I think it would be useful if the IDLE icon was overlayed with 
the text of what version of Python you are running.
msg252706 - (view) Author: Terry J. Reedy (terry.reedy) * (Python committer) Date: 2015-10-10 10:57
Desktop shortcuts all have a label.  The 3.4 and 3.5 labels have the python version.
msg252711 - (view) Author: Laura Creighton (lac) Date: 2015-10-10 12:33
Okay, sorry for the noise then.  The problems of not having a windows system to check.
msg370831 - (view) Author: Terry J. Reedy (terry.reedy) * (Python committer) Date: 2020-06-06 16:11
The py launcher now prefered since at least a year ago.  I believe the installer has the requested box.  Hovering over taskbar icons pops up the version, and I think they now survive upgrades. (And none of these are idlelib issues.)
History
Date User Action Args
2022-04-11 14:58:22adminsetgithub: 69539
2020-06-06 16:11:08terry.reedysetstatus: open -> closed
resolution: out of date
messages: + msg370831

stage: resolved
2015-10-10 12:33:38lacsetmessages: + msg252711
2015-10-10 10:57:17terry.reedysetmessages: + msg252706
2015-10-10 10:25:39lacsetmessages: + msg252700
2015-10-09 20:44:05terry.reedysetnosy: + terry.reedy
messages: + msg252652
2015-10-09 17:35:40steve.dowersetmessages: + msg252633
2015-10-09 15:54:13lacsetmessages: + msg252624
components: + IDLE
2015-10-09 13:23:39abarrysetmessages: + msg252608
2015-10-09 13:08:37steve.dowersetmessages: + msg252606
2015-10-09 11:53:25abarrysetnosy: + abarry
messages: + msg252598
2015-10-09 09:13:25laccreate