4

I've researched this on different places, including stackoverflow, and I can't find an answer that helps me.

I'm using Windows 7, 64 bit, with Atom for 64 bit Windows. I have Python 3.6.1 installed in the directory C:\Users\Austin\Documents\Python. When I try to run a simple script to test Python in Atom, it says

'python' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file. [Finished in 0.083s]

I tried to run the same script in the command line, and it said the same thing. I'm new to programming, so please try to be a little patient.

Improve this question
1

7 Answers 7

Reset to default
8

Your issue is probably that your Python command is not listed in your PATH environment variable.

Environment Variables are paths, values and other information stored by your operating system and used globally by the OS and different applications you use.

The best example for a command listed in the PATH environment variable is cmd or ping. try to tap Win+R and type cmd, note how it opens a new Command Line even though you don't really know where cmd.exe is stored on your hard drive? That is because the path C:\Windows\System32 is stored in your PATH variable.

So, we know you installed python, but you want to be able to run it without specifying it's path, how can we do that? Simply add it to our environment variables:

  1. Use the keyboard shortcut Win+Pause
  2. Click on Advanced system settings
  3. At the bottom of the window click on Environment Variables...
  4. In the System Variables section find the PATH variable
  5. Double click it
  6. A new window with a text box has opened, go to it's end with the end button
  7. Paste the path C:\Users\Austin\Documents\Python at it's end (be sure to add a ; before pasting if there isn't one there.
  8. Click ok
  9. Open a new cmd window
  10. Try and type python you should be all set now, on the command line and in Atom.

If it isn't clear, the win button is the button on your keyboard with the windows icon on it.

Improve this answer
Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

9 Comments

It still gives me the same error. This is the new directory under my PATH variable - C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Users\Austin\Documents\Python
Try to open a new cmd and go to the path C:\U‌​sers\Austin\Document‌​s\Python, then try typing ./python does that work?
Even with C:\Users\Austin\Documents\Python it still gives me the error that it isn't recongnized.
Did typing ./python work when you went straight to it's path on cmd? If not, there might be something wrong with your python installation...
Yes. I tried C:\U‌​sers\Austin\Document‌​s\Python and ./python, and both give me the error. Let me reinstall Python...
|
1

After struggling with same problem: 'python' is not recognized as an internal or external command. I solved it using following way:

  1. In search bar type python, your latest installed python 32-bit app would appear. Select it and right click.

  2. Then select open file location enter image description here

  3. A new page would pop up with auto selected python 32-bit file. Now right click and again select open file location.

enter image description here

  1. Copy the path as I have selected in picture. enter image description here

  2. Now in search bar type Advanced System Setting, and click on it. enter image description here

  3. A new window will pop up. Click on environment variables.

enter image description here

  1. First select Path then Click on edit. enter image description here

  2. Now A new window of edit variable path will open up. In this first click on new >> Add the path of python 32-bit app that we copied >> click on ok.

enter image description here

  1. Now Click OK on environment variables window, Next click OK on system variables window as well. enter image description here

enter image description here

  1. Now python is ready to run in Atom
Improve this answer

Comments

1

Adding python to my path, (installed as C:\Program Files\Python39\Python.exe) worked, but only after restarting Atom. Make sure you do that. Looks like it doesn't dynamically watch and reload the path variable from the system ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Improve this answer

Comments

0

In very direct terms, it means that there is no executable file named python.exe in any dictionary in your search path (which I think is the PATH environment variable on Windows).

First of all, try executing python from the installation directory. If that works, you know that you have it installed properly, and that the problem is the search path. If that fails, try again with the full path name, such as C:\Users\Austin\Documents\Python\python.exe.

Does that move you closer to a solution?

Improve this answer

Comments

0

Reinstall the latest Python version. One of the first installation screens has a toggle box at the bottom that you can click to add the directory to Path. This worked for me when I ran into the same problem. You have to manually click though and it's easy to ignore it.

Improve this answer

1 Comment

this has worked for me because when I reinstalled python from scratch and check that checkbox, actually it has added more than one path to environment variables
0

I solved this issue, by put the good python path in Atom ide-Python simply i put D:\my_python_folder\Python.exe

Improve this answer

Comments

0

None of the above answers worked for me. What did work, is installing Python from the Microsoft Store instead of downloading from the web and installing from an installer.

Improve this answer

Comments

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Start asking to get answers

Find the answer to your question by asking.

Ask question

Explore related questions

See similar questions with these tags.