Python script won't run from the context menu

Question

[Submitted to superuser two days ago, but nobody could answer it, so reposting here.]

Working on the basis of this post (and this follow-up post), I've tried adding a python script (which I've added to the path and so on, so that I can run it from the command line everywhere in the system) to the context menu, like this:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\get_abs]
@="&Get Abstracts"
"Icon"="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\shell32.dll,71"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\get_abs\command]
@="C:\\cmdtools\\get_abs.py"

However, I get a strange error message when I try to run it.

To be clear, I have successfully run this script from the command line (using powershell, in case it matters) in the folder in which I'm trying to run it from the context menu.

I believe the command key needs to point to an actual executable, e.g. .exe file. Try it with the path to your Python interpreter followed by the script path. — kindall
– kindall, Commented May 10, 2016 at 1:18
You with a space in between, with the script path like an argument? — Marc Adler
– Marc Adler, Commented May 10, 2016 at 1:33
Yes, I think so. Might be worth trying anyway. You might also need %1 for the file being passed in (which would go at the end, with another space before it). — kindall
– kindall, Commented May 10, 2016 at 1:40
That did it! Write your answer as an answer and I'll mark it right. — Marc Adler
– Marc Adler, Commented May 10, 2016 at 3:05

kindall · Accepted Answer · 2017-07-26 14:38:31Z

5

Python scripts aren't natively executable by Windows; it's complaining that you didn't specify an .exe file. That's easy though, you just specify python.exe. Follow that up with the path to your script and then a %1 -- this is a placeholder for the path to the clicked file. To allow your command to work with paths with spaces in them, surround the %1 with quote marks. Putting it all together, we get:

C:\path\to\python.exe C:\path\to\your\script.py "%1"

BTW, a handy utility for managing context menus is Fast Explorer.

edited Jul 26, 2017 at 14:38

answered May 10, 2016 at 3:39

kindall

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1 Comment

Marc Adler Over a year ago

The script itself doesn't take any arguments (it works on all the files in the folder it's run in), so I don't need the "%1," but thanks for mentioning that.

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