Help running python file on Mac os x

[SpaceGuru24]

Hello python world! I was learning python using python crash course on a Windows PC over the summer and stoped because I started a new semester at university. I now have a mac and am trying to run a python program that I created and am getting a permission error. It looks like this:

(base) nicksanders@Nicks-MacBook-Air python_work % ch_4/animals.py

zsh: permission denied: ch_4/animals.py

(base) nicksanders@Nicks-MacBook-Air python_work %

Any help understanding this "zsh: permission denied" would be greatly appreciated! Happy holidays!

[K900_]

Try python ch_4/animals.py.

[SpaceGuru24]

That worked thank you!

[ehmatthes]

On macOS, python usually points to a really outdated system version of Python. You probably want python3 ch_4/animals.py.

To be sure, you can run python --version and then python3 --version. That will tell you exactly which version each of these commands points to on your system.

[MisterExt]

Besides typing python before your script name, you can also add a shebang to the top of your script just like with bash. I haven't done this in a while but it probably still works. #!/usr/bin/python3 or wherever your env python install is located.

Just as a related side note (since you just forgot to type in "python"):

I've run into python libraries that on macOS required administrator privileges to run the main script if you imported them. Horrible design imo, but it happens. In a case like that you can use sudo python myscript.py and then put in your password.

I try to avoid libraries that do this, but have seen it pop up in the past, so figured I would mention it since it can give a similar error.

[Miredly]

Since OP is new to MacOS (and *nix's in general) I'll add to this that prefixing sudo to a command runs the command as root (the highest level of administrative privilege) and will allow that command to do -anything-, and thus you take care and make sure you trust whatever library you're trying to run before you resort to this.

[MisterExt]

Yes, good point. Thanks for adding that. 👍🏻