Edit with IDLE missing using Windows 10

Question

I installed Python 3.6.1 windows 64-bit. But my edit with idle is missing when I use the right click. Can somebody help? I already reinstalled a few times, but the problem still there. =(

Answer 1

I don't know where your context menu items went but you can fix them by following the steps here “Edit with IDLE” option missing from context menu Only do that if you're comfortable messing around with the registry though.

I do not have a Windows computer to try this on, but your other option is to re-install Python and look for an option to install the context menu/shell extensions. It's probably in there, just off by default.

Answer 2

The problem most likely stems from overwriting the Python.File filetyp with a user choice on how to open a file. I could fix it on my system using the registry editor of Windows (Win+R, then enter regedit and press enter) as follows:

1. Delete all user choice entries for .py and .pyw in the registry for example there is most likely an entry at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.py\UserChoice
2. Correct/extend these two entries as follows

for .py files:

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.File]
    @="Python File"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.File\DefaultIcon]
    @="\"C:\\Windows\\py.exe\",1"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.File\Shell]

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.File\Shell\editwithidle]
    "MUIVerb"="Edit with IDLE"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.File\Shell\editwithidle\command]
    @="\"C:\\python3\\pythonw.exe\" -m idlelib \"%L\" %*"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.File\Shell\open]

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.File\Shell\open\command]
    @="\"C:\\Windows\\py.exe\" \"%L\" %*"

and for .pywfiles:

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.NoConFile\DefaultIcon]
    @="\"C:\\Windows\\py.exe\",1"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.NoConFile\Shell]

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.NoConFile\Shell\editwithidle]
    "MUIVerb"="Edit with IDLE"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.NoConFile\Shell\editwithidle\command]
    @="\"C:\\python3\\pythonw.exe\" -m idlelib \"%L\" %*"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.NoConFile\Shell\open]

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.NoConFile\Shell\open\command]
    @="\"C:\\Windows\\pyw.exe\" \"%L\" %*"

Then you should get a working option "Edit with IDLE" whenever you right-click on .py or a .pyw file in the file explorer. Double-clicking or opening the file involves the python launcher and directly starts the program.

Answer 3

You can open the file in IDLE with just "open" of right mouse click or double clicking on the file. The idea is here, https://www.webucator.com/how-to/how-make-idle-the-default-editor-for-python-files-on-windows.cfm

1. Open a folder that contains a Python file.
2. Right-click on any Python file.
3. Select Properties.
4. Next to the section that says “Opens with”, click the Change button
5. You may need to select More Apps
6. Click on Look for another app on this PC
7. Navigate to where you installed Python. For me, that’s the Python37 folder on the C drive.
8. Open Lib
9. Open idlelib
10. Select the idle.bat file.
11. Check "Always use this application to open ..."
12. Click Open.
13. Click OK to close out of Properties.

Now you can open .py files in IDLE simply by double-clicking on them.

Answer 4

If you tried the above steps and it did not work try this (Thanks Eryk) : https://bugs.python.org/issue29014

I guess SystemFileAssociations in local machine keys has something to do with it. Copied from his answer :

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\SystemFileAssociations\.py]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\SystemFileAssociations\.py\shell]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\SystemFileAssociations\.py\shell\editwithidle]
"MUIVerb"="&Edit with IDLE"
"Subcommands"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\SystemFileAssociations\.py\shell\editwithidle\shell]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\SystemFileAssociations\.py\shell\editwithidle\shell\edit35]
"MUIVerb"="Edit with IDLE 3.5 (64-bit)"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\SystemFileAssociations\.py\shell\editwithidle\shell\edit35\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Python35\\pythonw.exe\" -m idlelib \"%1\" %*"