Does Python IDLE install automatically when QGIS is installed?

Question

I have read in different gis.stackexchange posts that the python IDLE is located in Python27>Lib>idlelib, and if I had ArcGIS, it would be Python27>ArcGIS10.x>Lib>idlelib

But in my case, I can't find this directory for QGIS.

I have installed QGIS on my computer, but python IDLE is not shown in the start menu. Does this mean that it doesn't exist? I can't find the idlelib.

How can I download the python IDLE for python 2.7 ?

Answer 1

QGIS does not install IDLE automatically. The Windows installers of Python include IDLE, however, you will likely have problems getting the two different installations to talk to each other. This question gives some more detail: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/25836182/cant-get-python-idle-to-recognize-ogr-gdal-module

However, I think IDLE is not that great as an editor, just use the built in QGIS one, and if you need more power, use an external editor.

• user64823: Thank you very much. I use both both editors, but personally, I prefer the IDLE to write the script and then save it with .py extension and read it in QGIS. Nevertheless, I have never came across with this issue.
• Andreas Müller: It depends on what you mean by installed. It's part of the Python Installation under apps/python/lib but there is no batch file to call it. I found out how to call it, you find the batch code in my answer, just but it into a idle.bat under osgeo4w/bin. then, you should be able to call it from the osgeo4w shell.

Answer 2

As far as I know, QGIS does not install IDLE. (At least I have never seen it.) But QGIS as his own Python console and Editor. You can access it in Plugins> Python Console.

In the python console there is an icon for the editor.

• user64823: Thank you, in order to carry out the process I say in my comment at the top, I ' ll install Python again or just install another IDE (pyScripter, NotePad++)

Answer 3

I have a batch file to call idle. Here it is:

@echo off 
call %OSGEO4W_ROOT%\bin\o4w_env.bat 
start "IDLE" /D%OSGEO4W_ROOT%\apps\python27\lib\idlelib /B pythonw idle.pyw %*