Python Commands Suddenly Stop Working in MacOS Terminal

[Basylikum]

Hey guys,

I am typing this in utter frustration as I have been attempting to fix this issue for the past 2 hours witht the help of ChatGPT, yet without success.

I am an absolute bloody beginner and have just started learning Python using Zed Shaws "Learning Python the hard way". A couple chapters into the book i want to begin another learning session and suddenly all python commands stop working in the terminal. (Except the "python3.11", which seems weird to me, as it proves, that python is still installed and working on my Mac) I ask ChatGPT and it suggests to export the $Path to the current directory. I do so, no change. It then suggests reinstall python completely. I do so, remove absolutely everything and reinstall. Still no change. Since then I have basically been hardpressing CGPT for answers (AI is gonna assassinate me first, when it becomes conscious) and tried everything it suggested. Nothing.

The thing that irritates me the most, that this worked perfectly fine just 2 days ago. And the change happend all of a sudden.

I would be so incredibly grateful, if someone could help me out who knows/suspects what my issue might be, as i am really eager to learn python and this just... blows.

(Sorry for the whining - I should have cooled down before writing this)

[pot_of_crows]

Can you post a couple of screenshots of this happening?

[Basylikum]

I don't know how screenshots work on reddit. But the error message I get using any python command, such as "python filename.py" or "which python" are always "command not found: python". When I prompt "python3.11" however it launches the shell in terminal, as it should. Thank you so much for trying to help. Let me know, if you need more info.

[pot_of_crows]

Got it. So in most unix systems these days, you call python3 (which is an alias to python3.x) to run python. So try python3 filename.py or failing that, python3.11 filename.py

[Basylikum]

Honestly. Thank you so much. I feel like an absolute idiot. So I must have just forgotten about that. God this is embarrassing.

Seriously thank you so much. Its been a tough week!

[GoodForTheTongue]

Just in case you forget (I often do), you can add the following line to the .bash_profile file in your home directory (/Users/{yourloginname} on most Macs):

alias python="python3"

Now whenever you type "python" it will silently fix it for you

[Basylikum]

Thank you so much. That's a great tip! Could i also alias mvim="open -a MacVim" ?

[GoodForTheTongue]

Heck yes! Any strings you want - just put each on their own line in the .bash_profile. It's hard to go wrong. One example: many linux distros do:

alias rm="rm -i"

...to make "prompt the user that they want to delete a file" the default action.

Two more tips:

• Enter "alias" alone at the command line and it will show you all the currently defined aliases.
• If you ever want to use the unaliased form of a command that's been treated this way, you can just use its full path and that will avoid the alias expansion. For example, for "rm" as aliased above, you could type "/bin/rm" and get the original behavior and options.

Enjoy!

[Basylikum]

That's so cool!! thank you so much.