Newbie Shell Editor Question

[Tim Roberts]

Kash <khankf at hotmail.com> wrote:

>Hi Everyone,
>
>I am new to python. I have just installed it. I am went to the python
>website and used it to download python and a beginners tutorial. I set
>the environment variables as explained in the faq. 
>However when I start idle and run a program from it; I get the
>following types of errors; however I can run the same programs no
>problem from my command prompt.
>Can anyone please tell me what I am doing wrong? I thought Idle was
>used to test programs in. I am able to open a new window and write
>code, save it and then run that code; but just not if I type it into
>the main idle window directly. 
>Any help would greatly appreciated, thank you.
>Kash
>
>This is my error:
>----------------------------
>IDLE 1.1      
>>>> python hello.py
>SyntaxError: invalid syntax
>>>> python hello
>SyntaxError: invalid syntax

Idle is already running the python interpreter.  You don't need to start
another copy.  It is just like you had typed "python" at a command line.
If you want to run a script in a file, you have to use the IDLE menu to do
so.  I don't know IDLE, but it's probably something like File->Run.

>>>> exit
>'Use File/Exit or your end-of-file key to quit IDLE'
>>>> print "Hello"
>Hello

THAT'S the way you use IDLE.
-- 
- Tim Roberts, timr at probo.com
  Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.