So I’m a first timer, but already I am sucked in. Love python and even bought a few books. I only have one question if someone could answer for me. It might sound dumb but here goes: I downloaded and started to begin coding when I noticed that I dont have the command screen ( file, edit, etc) about my python shell. Is there an upgrade to get this or something else to try? I have 3.8.1.
Thanx so much to anyone that can help! Jason
Hi Jason, and welcome!
Normally I try to discourage people from posting photos or screenshots
of their code, for various reasons, but it sounds like your question may
be best asked with a screen shot, so we can see your environment.
Let’s start with some basic questions first:
what OS are you using (Apple Mac, Windows, Linux, something else?)
where did you download Python from?
how did you start your Python shell? E.g. double-click on an icon,
chose a command from the Start Menu, typed a command at a command
prompt? What was the name of the icon, command etc?
My wild guess is that you are running the plain old vanilla Python
interpreter, and you are expecting some sort of advanced IDE which
includes an editor and all the bells and whistles.
The plain old Python you get from the python.org downloads page should
include a simple IDE called Idle, but how you run it will depend on your
OS. You might also like to investigate the IDEs provided by third-
parties, such as Anaconda and others. Some of them are free, others need
to be paid for.
Or you can use a text editor and any other tools of your choice. Python
files are plain text files with a .py extension, so any editor, even
Notepad, can edit them. (Although I don’t recommend Notepad unless you
are desperate.)
Thanx so much for you reply. Im using windows 7 pro on an older Dell. For some reason, I opened up my computer and clicked on the IDLE prompt in the startup menu and there it was, just like my code book showed. So now I can try all the training as it shows. I downloaded 3.8.1 32 bit. from python.org. Not sure what happened while I was sleeping but I’ll take it lol. I now have File, edit, shell, options, windows, help at the top of the python shell window, where as last night I did not.
Hello,
I just downloaded python 3.10 on my windows 11 and I am having this same challenge.
Any suggestion, please?
Thanks
Did you ever fix it?
I’m researching this problem, and I can’t figure it out.
I need Lamen’s terms.
Hi D Ogaga,
I found myself in the same situation(except i’m using python 3.10 in window 10). Then I realised, I was using the python shell instead of IDLE. Try search “IDLE” in windows search bar.
Hi,
I recently downloaded IDLE 3.10.4 on Mac and when I opens it I don’t see the file menu
Everytime I open the idle up it says IDLE shell 3.10.4 to the top
I would really appreciate your help
Thank you
On Mac application menu is on menu bar (Apple support document: What’s in the menu bar on Mac)
I think this is a case were we actually do need to see a screen shot.
Please minimize or close all other windows, and start up IDLE. Click on the IDLE window to make sure it is active, and post a screen shot of your desktop. (You can crop or erase any personally identifiable information if you need to.)
What command did you use to start that?
e.g typing python at command prompt, does not start IDLE; you need to type idle. The clue is that the bg color is black, rather than blue.
Did you find answer to this issue?
2023-01-26T00:00:00Z
Hi. I’m new to this forum. I had the same problem - the 3.11 shell opens but with no menu bar across the top. I have attached how I fixed it for my Windows 10 installation. Sorry I can only upload screenshots rather than a pdf document. Hope it helps.
A window that has Python 3.x (64 bit) is what it says, the python 3.x interactive console which has no menu bar. Current IDLE Shell windows are titled ‘IDLE Shell 3.x’ to avoid confusion between the two. They all have a menu below the title (or above it on the Mac).
There is no need to modify the interactive Python icon to open IDLE. If you install IDLE on Windows or Mac, a separate IDLE icon is installed in the Python 3.x folder with multiple icons. On Windows, the Python 3.x folder is on the start menu under P. On Mac, it is in Finder under, I believe, Apps.
That looks like a screenshot from a Mac, which means that the main menu is at the top of the screen, not the top of the window.
