py, the Python Launcher for Windows

By Vasudev Ram

py, or py.exe, is the name of a new(ish) Python Launcher for Windows, which was released as part of Python 3.x.

This is the PEP for py.

I tried out Py and it worked okay, for some basic uses.

It lets you launch a specific version of Python, either 2, or 3, or 2.x or 3.x. I tried using it to launch both Python 2.7.3 and Python 3.3.1.

Examples:

C:\> py -V
Python 2.7.3
C:\> py -3 -V
Python 3.3.1
c:\Python33\Tools\Scripts> py -2 which.py py.exe
C:\Windows\py.exe
c:\Python33\Tools\Scripts>py -2 which.py cmd.exe
C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe

Here is the partial output of running the py --help command:

c:\Python33\Tools\Scripts>py --help
Python Launcher for Windows Version 3.3.1150.1013

usage: py [ launcher-arguments ] script [ script-arguments ]

Launcher arguments:

-2     : Launch the latest Python 2.x version
-3     : Launch the latest Python 3.x version
-X.Y   : Launch the specified Python version
-X.Y-32: Launch the specified 32bit Python version

- Vasudev Ram - Dancing Bison Enterprises

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