Invoking Python IDLE on Linux

linux python-idle
capngp picture capngp · Dec 31, 2012 · Viewed 25.9k times · Source

I am trying to set up a Python development environment. I have Python 2.7.3 running on Linux mint14. I downloaded IDLE and installed it. Clean installs and Python runs just fine.

So how do I invoke IDLE? No IDLE in my path: which idle returns nothing. man idle returns nothing pertaining to an editor. Nothing in /usr/lib or /usr/local/lib. Calling idle() inside the Python interpreter doesn't work. Invoking python brings up a shell, not IDLE. No menu entry for IDLE in Linux. No import library named IDLE that Python can find. 3 O'Reilly books consulted and not a word about invoking IDLE in Linux. YouTube videos of Python favor Windows, not Linux. Web searches have so far been unsuccessful.

Answer

Ned Deily picture Ned Deily · Dec 31, 2012

I'm not familiar with lint myself but, since it claims to be Debian based, try installing the idle package:

sudo apt-get install idle

That should pull in all the appropriate packages for the installed version of Python. Then you should just be able to start idle with:

idle

in a terminal window.

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