How can I get python in the command prompt on Windows?

Question

I have just installed Python on my Windows 7. I thought that after that I will be able to run python on the command prompt but it is not the case. After the installation I also found out that I can run the python command shell. This is nice. But what should I do if I want to save my program in a file and then I want to run this program (in Linux, for example, I typed "python file_name.py" in the command line).

Answer 1

Is python.exe in your windows path? Try to look at the PATH environment variable and see if the installation folder of python is listed there.

Answer 2

You need to add the python bin directory to your path. Follow the instructions here and add c:\python26\bin to the path (unless you installed python in a non-default location).

Answer 3

You need to update your environment variables to include the path to the Python executable.

On XP you can do this by right clicking on "My Computer" -> Properties and then going to the "Advanced" tab.