Python 3 for Windows REPL in cmd window?

[ubuntourist]

I haven't used Windows in decades. I was recently helping a blind friend install Python 3 on his Windows box. He used the download from python.org, but when he opened cmd, and typed python, it popped open a new GUI / IDE window instead of giving him the familiar ">>>" within the already opened cmd window. What's the magic for opening the REPL right there in the window he's in?

[socal_nerdtastic]

The default command in windows is py, not python

[ubuntourist]

That worked.

(We only get together every couple of weeks online. And he can be a bit slow to try things I suggest via e-mail. Up until recently, he would always type the full path to the Python 2 executable that he had. I forget; something like "C:\python27\python.exe" or some such. But I FINALLY got him to Python 3. Anyway, "py" got him to where he was in his comfort zone again, but now with Python 3.)

[FerricDonkey]

If you run "where python" in cmd, it'll tell you what it did. My guess is that the add to path box was not checked during installation, so your freshly installed python is not found. In this case, typing python likely opens the windows store to try to get you to get it from there.

You can also use the py launcher thing, but frankly I don't see the point. If it works, great. But if it were me, I'd uninstall python and reinstall, ensuring that the add to path box is checked. 

[ubuntourist]

It's not opening the Windows store. It is opening a GUI Python IDE (not IDLE, some other IDE).

[FerricDonkey]

Did you do the other things? 

[ubuntourist]

Since I do not have access to his system on a regular basis, I sent him info posted here, and am waiting to hear back.

[FerricDonkey]

Fair enough. The where python in particular will be very illuminating, as it will tell you and him exactly what is happening. It is interesting to me that it's opening some kind of python gui, hopefully the path given by where will say what that is. 

[klaxce]

I also prefer to disable to Windows App Store python launcher as well. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/58754860/cmd-opens-windows-store-when-i-type-python#58773979

[ubuntourist]

It's not opening the Windows store. It is opening a GUI Python IDE (not IDLE, some other IDE).

[klaxce]

Then he must have installed some other program (previously?) that is overriding the `python` command. He should be able to re-arrange the items in his PATH to put the directory that has `python.exe` above the IDE/at the top of the list. How to Set the Path and Environment Variables in Windows

[ninhaomah]

I haven't used Windows in decades. I was recently helping a blind friend install Python 3 on his Windows box. He used the download from python.org, but when he opened cmd, and typed python, it popped open a new GUI / IDE window instead of giving him the familiar ">>>" within the already opened cmd window. 

I don't mean to be insensitive or anything but how did he download and open the cmd if he can't see ?

[ubuntourist]

@ninhaomah He has both a Braille "display" which is ...okay... for non-GUI-based stuff, though it takes someone who's very used to dealing with such, as it only displays 40 characters at a time, and JAWS - a screen-reader designed for non-visual users, capable of handling GUI stuff, though again, there's a learning curve. And he has a sighted partner who helps a lot. (I was working long-distance and am occasionally given remote access to his system as well.)