python running python2 instead of python3 on windows

Question

Well I have this code:

#!/usr/bin/env python3

for i in range(15):
    print(i, end=' ')

when I run it like this in command prompt:

prog1.py

I get:

C:\Users\Ja\Desktop>prog1.py
File "C:\Users\Ja\Desktop\prog1.py", line 4
print(i, end=' ')
            ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax

but when I run it like this:

py prog1.py

it works fine. It's running python2.7.15 instead of python3.6.5 (I tested it using sys.version). ( It's the same for icon clicks )

This is very difficult to assess without knowing more about your machine. Can you post your PythonPath environment variable and the result of sys.path from inside a Python script? — duhaime
– duhaime, Commented Aug 29, 2018 at 10:45
sys.path: ['C:\\Users\\Ja\\Desktop', 'C:\\Users\\Ja\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\Python\\Python36-32\\python36.zip', 'C:\\Users\\Ja\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\Python\\Python36-32\\DLLs', 'C:\\Users\\Ja\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\Python\\Python36-32\\lib', 'C:\\Users\\Ja\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\Python\\Python36-32', 'C:\\Users\\Ja\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\Python\\Python36-32\\lib\\site-packages'] — Igracx33
– Igracx33, Commented Aug 29, 2018 at 10:54
This is my path: C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files\Intel\WiFi\bin\;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intel\WirelessCommon\;C:\WINDOWS\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Users\Ja\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36-32\Scripts\;C:\Users\Ja\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36-32\;C:\Program Files\Intel\WiFi\bin\;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intel\WirelessCommon\;C:\Users\Ja\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;C:\Program Files (x86)\CodeBlocks\MinGW\bin; — Igracx33
– Igracx33, Commented Aug 29, 2018 at 10:55
Add path in your path variable where python.exe file is located. Like mine is located in C:\Anaconda3. — Torab Shaikh
– Torab Shaikh, Commented Aug 29, 2018 at 10:59

John Zwinck · Accepted Answer · 2018-08-29 12:46:57Z

1

You may be under the impression that Windows understands the "shebang line":

#!/usr/bin/env python3

It does not. All Windows knows is that .py files can be run by Python. So you need to update your file association, or run the correct version of Python explicitly, passing the path to your script as an argument.

answered Aug 29, 2018 at 12:46

John Zwinck

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John Zwinck Over a year ago

@Igracx33: Rather than "link and run" would you like to tell us something specific?

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