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Simulate python3 shell commands behavior in windows powershell

I work on an api that run python3 scripts like python3 <scriptname.py>. This api initially run on a linux system. Unfortunately I make the local development of it on a windows. Is there a way to simulate this behaviour so that when I run in powershell python3 -V it give me the version of python.
I have allready python 3 installed on my computer. I tried to add the path to my python.exe to the system variables with for variable the string python3. But after registering and restarting powershell and type python3 -V I still get the error that «python3» is not recognized as a command applet name.
Does anyone have any ideas?

Once python is in your path, you can define a PowerShell alias for python3.
PS > New-Alias python3 python
PS > python3 -V
python 3.6.5
In order to have this alias as a permanent one, refer to this question: Permanent PowerShell Aliases.

I found tricky solution.
Once python is in your path, go to python installed path and copy python.exe and named duplicated one as python3.exe

python27 and python3 are not not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file [duplicate]

I am using Python 3.5.2 version on Windows 7 and tried using python3 app.py. I am getting this error message:
'python3' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
Is there any specific cause about why the python3 command is not working?
I also verified that the PATH is added to environment variables.

There is no python3.exe file, that is why it fails.
Try:
py
instead.
py is just a launcher for python.exe. If you have more than one python versions installed on your machine (2.x, 3.x) you can specify what version of python to launch by
py -2 or
py -3

You can also try this:
Go to the path where Python is installed in your system. For me it was something like C:\Users\\Local Settings\Application Data\Programs\Python\Python37
In this folder, you'll find a python executable. Just create a duplicate and rename it to python3. Works every time.

Python3.exe is not defined in windows
Specify the path for required version of python when you need to used it by creating virtual environment for your project
Python 3
virtualenv --python=C:\PATH_TO_PYTHON\python.exe environment
Python2
virtualenv --python=C:\PATH_TO_PYTHON\python.exe environment
then activate the environment using
.\environment\Scripts\activate.ps1

Yes, I think for Windows users you need to change all the python3 calls to python to solve your original error. This change will run the Python version set in your current environment. If you need to keep this call as it is (aka python3) because you are working in cross-platform or for any other reason, then a work around is to create a soft link. To create it, go to the folder that contains the Python executable and create the link. For example, this worked in my case in Windows 10 using mklink:
cd C:\Python3
mklink python3.exe python.exe
Use a (soft) symbolic link in Linux:
cd /usr/bin/python3
ln -s python.exe python3.exe

In my case I have a git hook on commit, specified by admin. So it was not very convenient for me to change the script (with python3 calls).
And the simplest workaround was just to copy python.exe to python3.exe.
Now I could launch both python and python3.

If python2 is not installed on your computer, you can try with just python instead of python3

For Python 27
virtualenv -p C:\Python27\python.exe django_concurrent_env
For Pyton36
virtualenv -p C:\Python36\python.exe django_concurrent_env

Enter the command to start up the server in that directory:
py -3.7 -m http.server

I had a related issue after installing windows 11, where python3 in cmd would open the windows store. I was able to sort it out between this post and this other one. In short, I reinstalled python and made sure to add it to PATH. Then, in settings, Apps > Apps & Features > App Execution aliases. Here, all I had to do was make sure that every single python .exe (including idle and pip) were turned off EXCEPT FOR the python3.exe alias. Now it works like a charm.
FWIW:
The root of this issue is not with you or with python. Apparently, Microsoft wanted to make installing python easier for young kiddos getting interested in coding, so they automatically add an executable to PATH. For those of us that already have this executable, it can cause these issues.

Found out instead press the play button the top right and it should work in visual studios:
Do not disable according to first answer
Saying python3 in the command will not work by default.
After figuring out the problem with the modules (Solution): https://youtu.be/paRXeLurjE4
Summary:
To import python modules in case of problem to import modules:
Hover over python in search:
Click open in folder
Hover over and right click
click properties
copy everything in path before \python.exe
close those windows
For cmd (administrator):
cd --path that was copied--
then python -m pip install --upgrade pip
cd Scripts
pip install "Name of Package" such as pip install --module (package) --

Im on win10 and have 3.7, 3.8 and 3.10 installed.
For me "python" launches version 3.10 and does not accept commands (like -3.7), "py" launches newest version but does accept commands, and "python3" does nothing.
Uninstalled 3.10 and "python" now does nothing, and "py" launches 3.8.

I am unable to add a comment, but the mlink option presented in this answer above https://stackoverflow.com/a/55229666/8441472 by #Stanislav preserves cross-platform shebangs at the top of scripts (#!/usr/bin/env python3) and launches the right python.
(Even if you install python from python.org, Windows will direct you to the app marketplace nowadays if you type python3 on the command line. If you type python on the same cli it will launch the python.org version repl. It leads to scripts that generate no output, but more likely silently failed completely. I don't know ho common this is but have experienced it on a couple of different devices)
If you have this at the top of your script to ensure you launch python3 and don't feel like editing everything you own, it is not a bad approach at all... lol.

Using "Edit with IDLE" with a Python 2.6.5 script

I have installed both Python 2.7.1 and 2.6.5 versions on Windows. I have added only the path of Python 2.6.5 in the Environment Variables.
Now, I want to run a Python script x.py using Python 2.6.5. I know how to do it using the cmd but It would be more convenient to just open it with IDLE and run inside it using the Run Module option.
This is supposedly done by right-clicking over the script, and then going to Edit with IDLE option, but this opens and runs the script using Python 2.7.1. Is there a way to open and run it with Python 2.6.5?

The standard command in the registry for Edit with IDLE is the following:
"C:\Program Files\Python33\pythonw.exe" "C:\Program Files\Python33\Lib\idlelib\idle.pyw" -e "%1"
Now, as you can see, the path is hardcoded into it, so it just cannot use a different Python interpreter like that—at least per default.
However, PEP 397 introduced a new Python launcher for Python making it possible to launch different versions of Python based on the shebang line. So a file starting with #!/usr/bin/env python2 will launch the current Python 2 interpreter, while #!/usr/bin/env python3 will use Python 3.
Using that information, you can launch IDLE for a given Python version dynamically. For example this would edit the file using the launcher’s default Python version:
C:\Windows\pyw.exe -m idlelib.idle -e "%1"
This would force the use of Python 3
C:\Windows\pyw.exe -3 -m idlelib.idle -e "%1"
And this would force the use of Python 2:
C:\Windows\pyw.exe -2 -m idlelib.idle -e "%1"
So what you would need to do is write a script that basically checks which Python version a file wants to be executed with, i.e. by parsing the shebang line manually (sadly the launcher does not give you this information without actually launching the script—yet. I might start a pull request to get such a feature into the core). Then you would run either the Python 2 or Python 3 IDLE using the command above and done.
You would just need to change the Edit with IDLE command to execute your script then and it would work.
A very simple alternative would be to just add another registry key which launches the Python 2 IDLE. So you would have Edit with IDLE and Edit with IDLE (Py2) or something.
To do that, just put the following inside a .reg file and execute it:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Python.File\shell\Edit with IDLE (Py2)]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Python.File\shell\Edit with IDLE (Py2)\command]
#="C:\\Windows\\pyw.exe -2 -m idlelib.idle -e \"%1\""
edit: I just noticed that I wrote this mainly about Python 2 vs. Python 3; the launcher ships with Python 2.7 I think, so this will work just the same. You just need to adjust the launcher’s version specificiers to -2.6 and -2.7 or whatever you want.

You can do this with some registry hacks to make IDLE 2.6 your default (rather than 2.7), but that's not really what you want, I think, since then you'd have to reverse the process when you want to test something in 2.7. Unless someone else knows some other way to integrate different IDLE installs into the shell, here are a couple better options:
Open IDLE 2.6 first, and just use the Open File dialog from the GUI.
Use a different IDE that actually supports this functionality. Eclipse with PyDev will let you switch interpreters between runs, or save configurations with different interpreters, and so on.

Shebang Notation: Python Scripts on Windows and Linux?

I have some small utility scripts written in Python that I want to be usable on both Windows and Linux. I want to avoid having to explicitly invoke the Python interpreter. Is there an easy way to point shebang notation to the correct locations on both Windows and Linux? If not, is there another way to allow implicit invocation of the Python interpreter on both Windows and Linux without having to modify the script when transferring between operating systems?
Edit: The shebang support on Windows is provided Cygwin, but I want to use the native Windows Python interpreter on Windows, not the Cygwin one.
Edit # 2: It appears that shebang notation overrides file associations in Cygwin terminals. I guess I could just uninstall Cygwin Python and symlink /usr/bin/python to Windows-native Python.

Read up on the Python Launcher for Windows in the docs, which was initially described in PEP 397. It lets
you define custom shebang configurations in "py.ini" (e.g. to use pypy),
and out of the box you can use virtual shebangs such as #!/usr/bin/env python3, or shebangs with real paths such as #!"C:\Python33\python.exe". (Quoting is required for paths containing spaces.) You can also add command-line options to a shebang. For example, the following shebang adds the option to enter interactive mode after the script terminates: #!/usr/bin/python3 -i.
The installer associates .py (console) and .pyw (GUI) script file types with the respectively named launchers, py.exe and pyw.exe, in order to enable shebang support for scripts in Windows. For an all-users installation, the launchers are installed to the Windows folder (i.e. %SystemRoot%). For a per-user installation, you may need to manually add the installation directory to PATH in order to use py.exe in the shell (*). Then from the command line you can run Python via py -2, py -3, py -2.6, py -3.3-32 (32-bit), and so on. The launcher is handy when combined with -m to run a module as a script using a particular version of the interpreter, e.g. py -3 -m pip install.
(*) The new installer in 3.5+ defaults to "%LocalAppData%\Programs\Python\Launcher" for a per-user installation of the launcher, instead of installing it beside "python.exe", and it automatically adds this directory to PATH.

Unless you are using cygwin, windows has no shebang support. However, when you install python, it add as file association for .py files. If you put just the name of your script on the command line, or double click it in windows explorer, then it will run through python.
What I do is include a #!/usr/bin/env python shebang in my scripts. This allows for shebang support on linux. If you run it on a windows machine with python installed, then the file association should be there, and it will run as well.

Short answer:
The easiest way is to install git for windows wich comes with GitBash. Then add shebang lines in your scripts to indicate they should be run with python when executed.
#!/usr/bin/env python
More info:
Unlike Cygwin, git bash uses your native windows applications and lets you use bash scripts without any configuration.
It will automatically treat any file with a shebang line as executable the same way Linux shells do.
eg: #!/usr/bin/env php or #!/usr/bin/env node or any other application you want will work as long as you add the paths to your windows ENV path.
You can edit env vars in windows by hitting start and typing env should be the first option.
Git bash also installs git and hooks it up with a credentials manager for you and makes it super easy to sign into 2fa-enabled svn services and a ton of other handy developer features.
Git bash is IMO a must on every developer's machine.
Another option:
Install WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) which will work the same.
WSL also lets you install native Linux versions of all your command line applications if you prefer.
Linux binaries will take precedence over windows ones if installed but you can still choose to run the windows version of commands any time you want by specifically adding .exe on the end.

Install pywin32. One of the nice thing is it setups the file association of *.py to the python interpreter.

sorry for open old topic.
I create one file py.cmd and place it in the C:\Windows\System32 folder
py.bat:
#(
#set /p shebang=
)<%1
#set shebang=%shebang:#! =%
#%shebang% %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9
py.bat file explain:
Get the first line from *.py file
Remove shebang characters "#! "
Run python file using shebang python path
All windows python script must start with shebang line as the first line in the code:
#! c:\Python27\python.exe
or
#! c:\Python37\python.exe
Then run it:
cmd> py SomePyFile.py param1 param1 paramX

Not with shebang ... but you might be able to set up a file association, see this SO question which deals with Perl and the associated answers which will also be pertinent as there's known problems with Windows and stdin/out redirection...

How to run multiple Python versions on Windows

I had two versions of Python installed on my machine (versions 2.6 and 2.5). I want to run 2.6 for one project and 2.5 for another.
How can I specify which I want to use?
I am working on Windows XP SP2.

Running a different copy of Python is as easy as starting the correct executable. You mention that you've started a python instance, from the command line, by simply typing python.
What this does under Windows, is to trawl the %PATH% environment variable, checking for an executable, either batch file (.bat), command file (.cmd) or some other executable to run (this is controlled by the PATHEXT environment variable), that matches the name given. When it finds the correct file to run the file is being run.
Now, if you've installed two python versions 2.5 and 2.6, the path will have both of their directories in it, something like PATH=c:\python\2.5;c:\python\2.6 but Windows will stop examining the path when it finds a match.
What you really need to do is to explicitly call one or both of the applications, such as c:\python\2.5\python.exe or c:\python\2.6\python.exe.
The other alternative is to create a shortcut to the respective python.exe calling one of them python25 and the other python26; you can then simply run python25 on your command line.

Adding two more solutions to the problem:
Use pylauncher (if you have Python 3.3 or newer there's no need to install it as it comes with Python already) and either add shebang lines to your scripts;
#! c:\[path to Python 2.5]\python.exe - for scripts you want to be run with Python 2.5
#! c:\[path to Python 2.6]\python.exe - for scripts you want to be run with Python 2.6
or instead of running python command run pylauncher command (py) specyfing which version of Python you want;
py -2.6 – version 2.6
py -2 – latest installed version 2.x
py -3.4 – version 3.4
py -3 – latest installed version 3.x
Install virtualenv and create two virtualenvs;
virtualenv -p c:\[path to Python 2.5]\python.exe [path where you want to have virtualenv using Python 2.5 created]\[name of virtualenv]
virtualenv -p c:\[path to Python 2.6]\python.exe [path where you want to have virtualenv using Python 2.6 created]\[name of virtualenv]
for example
virtualenv -p c:\python2.5\python.exe c:\venvs\2.5
virtualenv -p c:\python2.6\python.exe c:\venvs\2.6
then you can activate the first and work with Python 2.5 like this
c:\venvs\2.5\activate
and when you want to switch to Python 2.6 you do
deactivate
c:\venvs\2.6\activate

From Python 3.3 on, there is the official Python launcher for Windows (http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0397/). Now, you can use the #!pythonX to determine the wanted version of the interpreter also on Windows. See more details in my another comment or read the PEP 397.
Summary: The py script.py launches the Python version stated in #! or Python 2 if #! is missing. The py -3 script.py launches the Python 3.

As per #alexander you can make a set of symbolic links like below. Put them somewhere which is included in your path so they can be easily invoked
> cd c:\bin
> mklink python25.exe c:\python25\python.exe
> mklink python26.exe c:\python26\python.exe
As long as c:\bin or where ever you placed them in is in your path you can now go
> python25

For example for 3.6 version type py -3.6.
If you have also 32bit and 64bit versions, you can just type py -3.6-64 or py -3.6-32.

install python
C:\Python27
C:\Python36
environment variable
PYTHON2_HOME: C:\Python27
PYTHON3_HOME: C:\Python36
Path: %PYTHON2_HOME%;%PYTHON2_HOME%\Scripts;%PYTHON3_HOME%;%PYTHON3_HOME%\Scripts;
file rename
C:\Python27\python.exe → C:\Python27\python2.exe
C:\Python36\python.exe → C:\Python36\python3.exe
pip
python2 -m pip install package
python3 -m pip install package

I strongly recommend the pyenv-win project.
Thanks to kirankotari's work, now we have a Windows version of pyenv.

One easy way for this is that you can use
py -3.8 -m pip install virtualenv here -3.8 goes with your [version number]
After installing the virtualenv, you can create the virtual environment of your application using
py -3.8 -m virtualenv [your env name]
then cd to venv, enter activate
This would activate the python version you like.
Just change the version number to use a different python version.

When you install Python, it will not overwrite other installs of other major versions. So installing Python 2.5.x will not overwrite Python 2.6.x, although installing 2.6.6 will overwrite 2.6.5.
So you can just install it. Then you call the Python version you want. For example:
C:\Python2.5\Python.exe
for Python 2.5 on windows and
C:\Python2.6\Python.exe
for Python 2.6 on windows, or
/usr/local/bin/python-2.5
or
/usr/local/bin/python-2.6
on Windows Unix (including Linux and OS X).
When you install on Unix (including Linux and OS X) you will get a generic python command installed, which will be the last one you installed. This is mostly not a problem as most scripts will explicitly call /usr/local/bin/python2.5 or something just to protect against that. But if you don't want to do that, and you probably don't you can install it like this:
./configure
make
sudo make altinstall
Note the "altinstall" that means it will install it, but it will not replace the python command.
On Windows you don't get a global python command as far as I know so that's not an issue.

Here's a quick hack:
Go to the directory of the version of python you want to run
Right click on python.exe
Select 'Create Shortcut'
Give that shortcut a name to call by( I use p27, p33 etc.)
Move that shortcut to your home directory(C:\Users\Your name)
Open a command prompt and enter name_of_your_shortcut.lnk(I use p27.lnk)

cp c:\python27\bin\python.exe as python2.7.exe
cp c:\python34\bin\python.exe as python3.4.exe
they are all in the system path, choose the version you want to run
C:\Users\username>python2.7
Python 2.7.8 (default, Jun 30 2014, 16:03:49) [MSC v.1500 32 bit (Intel)] on win
32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>>
C:\Users\username>python3.4
Python 3.4.1 (v3.4.1:c0e311e010fc, May 18 2014, 10:38:22) [MSC v.1600 32 bit Intel)] on win32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>>

The easiest way to run multiple versions of python on windows is described below as follows:-
1)Download the latest versions of python from python.org/downloads by selecting the relevant version for your system.
2)Run the installer and select Add python 3.x to the path to set path automatically in python 3 (you just have to click the checkbox). For python 2 open up your python 2 installer, select whatever preferences you want but just remember to set Add python.exe to path to Will be installed on local hard drive, Now just click next and wait for the installer to finish.
3)When both the installations are complete. Right click on my computer--Go to properties--Select advanced system settings--Go to environment variables--Click on new under System variables and add a new system variable with variable name as PY_PYTHON and set this variable value to 3. Now click on OK and you should be done.
4)Now to test this open the command prompt. Once you are in there type python or py, It should open up python3.
5)Now exit out of python3 by typing exit(). Now type py -2 it should open python 2.
If none of this works then restart the computer and if the problem still persists then uninstall everything and repeat the steps.
Thanks.

This is a simple and elegant solution to easily run 2 or more different versions of python without using scripts in Windows. Whatever the version of python, it will start from the Command prompt.
I have python versions 3.6.6 and 3.9. The Environment Variable paths are normal and were automatically added when each version of python was installed.
It's best to install python using the "all users" option. This way the python will simply install to:
C:\program files\python36
C:\program files\python39
Open each of these python folders and find the python.exe file. Copy and paste the python.exe file into those same folders. Then carefully rename the copies to:
python36.exe
python39.exe
Open and edit Environment Variables. Add 4 new User Variables.
C:\Program Files\Python36\Scripts
C:\Program Files\Python36\python36.exe
C:\Program Files\Python39\Scripts
C:\Program Files\Program39\python39.exe
Save and exit Environment Variables.
Open a new Command Prompt terminal window. To run one or the other version of python, type:
python36
python39
More versions of python can easily be added by repeating the same as shown above. Elegant and simple. Done.

Using a batch file to switch, easy and efficient on windows 7. I use this:
In the environment variable dialog (C:\Windows\System32\SystemPropertiesAdvanced.exe),
In the section user variables
added %pathpython% to the path environment variable
removed any references to python pathes
In the section system variables
removed any references to python pathes
I created batch files for every python installation (exmple for 3.4 x64
Name = SetPathPython34x64 !!! ToExecuteAsAdmin.bat ;-) just to remember.
Content of the file =
Set PathPython=C:\Python36AMD64\Scripts\;C:\Python36AMD64\;C:\Tcl\bin
setx PathPython %PathPython%
To switch between versions, I execute the batch file in admin mode.
!!!!! The changes are effective for the SUBSEQUENT command prompt windows OPENED. !!!
So I have exact control on it.

let's say if we have python 3.7 and python 3.6 installed.
they are respectively stored in following folder by default.
C:\Users\name\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36
C:\Users\name\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python37
if we want to use cmd prompt to install/run command in any of the above specific environment do this:
There should be python.exe in each of the above folder.
so when we try running any file for ex. (see image1) python hello.py. we call that respective python.exe. by default it picks lower version of file. (means in this case it will use from python 3.6 )
image
so if we want to run using python3.7. just change the .exe file name. for ex. if I change to python37.exe and i want to use python3.7 to run hello.py
I will use python37 hello.py . or if i want to use python3.7 by default i will change the python.exe filename in python3.6 folder to something else . so that it will use python3.7 each time when I use only python hello.py

Shows your installed pythons
py -0
Uses version of python to do something
py -*version*
ex.
py -3.8 venv venv
Will create virtual environment in python 3.8
Note:
python -0
or
python -3.8
doesn't work, I assume it has to be "py"

You can create different python development environments graphically from Anaconda Navigator.
I had same problem while working with different python versions so I used anaconda navigator to create different python development environments and used different python versions in each environments.
Here is the help documentation for this.
https://docs.anaconda.com/anaconda/navigator/tutorials/manage-environments/

Introduce more details based on the answer given by #Aman.
Define different environment variables for different python versions.
For example:
You have E:\python2\python.exe and E:\python3\python.exe at the same time.
Then you can set an environment variable %python2% for E:\python2\python.exe and %python2% for E:\python3\python.exe.
Finally, when you want to run python2 (or python3), you can enter %python2% (or %python3%) directly in command prompt.

Here is a solution:
First, install all versions which you want to run in your pc. https://www.python.org/
Second, create virtual environment with which python version you want to use.
"py [python_version] -m venv [vritual_environment_name]" example: "py -3.9 -m venv env"
Note: You don't need to run "pip install virtualenv"

Using the Rapid Environment Editor you can push to the top the directory of the desired Python installation. For example, to start python from the c:\Python27 directory, ensure that c:\Python27 directory is before or on top of the c:\Python36 directory in the Path environment variable. From my experience, the first python executable found in the Path environment is being executed. For example, I have MSYS2 installed with Python27 and since I've added C:\MSYS2 to the path before C:\Python36, the python.exe from the C:\MSYS2.... folder is being executed.

I thought this answer might be helpful to others having multiple versions of python and wants to use pipenv to create virtual environment.
navigate to the project directory, and run py -[python version] pip install pipenv, example: py -3.6 pip install pipenv
run pipenv --python [version] to create the virtual environment in the version of the python you desire. example: pipenv --python 3.6
run pipenv shell to activate your virtual environment.

Just call the correct executable