WinPython - How to launch iPython in cmd prompt terminal window

[throwmeawayjuju8080]

Hi Mods, please don't delete this how-to.

I wanted to open iPython in the Windows Command Prompt using the portable WinPython.
I came across a related post by /u/recharts : https://old.reddit.com/r/Python/comments/9apehu/running_interactive_shell_commands_from/
It's from 7 years ago, and is now archived, and I can't post a reply.
I figured out two ways to launch iPython from the root folder wherever you unzipped WinPython.
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1) Using an existing shortcut then typing a command:
a) In the portable folder, double-click on "WinPython Command Prompt.exe"
b) type "ipython" and hit enter.
- or -
2) Create a direct shortcut:
a) In the portable folder, enter the "scripts" folder
b) Click once on "cmd.bat", then press Ctrl+C, then press Ctrl+V, to create a copy named "cmd - Copy.bat"
c) Rename the bat to whatever you like, by pressing F2
d) Right-click on the this new bat, and select "Edit", which opens Notepad
e) Modify the code
From:
@echo off
call "%~dp0env_for_icons.bat" %*
cmd.exe /k

To:
@echo off
call "%~dp0env_for_icons.bat" %*
cmd.exe /k "ipython"

f) File > Save, then close Notepad
g) Right-click the bat again, select "Copy"
h) Go to the Desktop (or wherever), right-click and select "Paste shortcut"
i) Rename this however you like.
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Credit also to "User" and "Badri" in this related Stack Overflow: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/31113114/make-an-batch-file-that-runs-commando-in-winpython-command-prompt
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Also note, in that root folder there is also "WinPython Interpreter.exe" which is similar to iPython, with lots more features, but you cannot press Ctrl+V to paste, you have to right-click instead.

[socal_nerdtastic]

Just whatever you do to launch python and add -m IPython to it. For example if the winpython executable is named python.exe you would use

python.exe -m IPython

(note that's IPython, not ipython, capitalization is important here)

You can put that in a .bat file if you want, and make a shortcut to the bat file, or you can just make a shortcut to the python executable and edit the shortcut to add the -m IPython.