.pyw files

Tim Peters tim.one at comcast.net
Thu Jan 30 10:54:09 EST 2003


[Skip Montanaro]
> If I understand correctly, .pyw files on Windows are plain old
> source files,

Yes.

> but prevent console window popup when executed.

Due to file association magic:  .py is associate with python.exe, and .pyw
with pythonw.exe.  There's nothing like pythonw.exe on, e.g., a Linux box.
You could get the same effect with a .py file by running it with pythonw.exe
instead of with python.exe.  The entire difference is that python.exe uses
the main() in Module\python.c, but pythonw.exe compiles WinMain() in
PC\WinMain.c instead.

> Do they byte compile to .pyc files?

If imported, yes.

> Or does that question not make sense?

It depends on the use to which you put the answer <wink>.

> (Is the .pyw suffix only useful when it's the main application program,
> double-clicked by the user?)

Double-clicking isn't the only way to launch one of these, but yes, the
entire difference is in whether main() or the Windows-specific WinMain() is
used to get Python started.






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