How to run a Python script from IDLE command line?

Question

In a bash shell, I can use 'bash ' or 'source ' to invoke a script by hand. Can I do the similar thing in the Python IDLE's interactive shell? I know I can go to File >> Open Module, then run it in a separate window, but that's troublesome.

Answer 1

One method I have found is execfile. It has the signature execfile(<filename>,<globals>,<locals>) and runs the file in the same thread as the current IDLE Session. This method is Python 2 specific

The method the OP is asking for (in a different thread/window) would be to use subprocess to run in a different thread/window.

import subprocess

#any of these will run the file.  Pick the one that best suits you.

subprocess.call(['python','filename.py'])
subprocess.check_call(['python','filename.py'])
subprocess.Popen(['python','filename.py'])

These essentially do what nneonneo's answer does, but using subprocess to execute it in a different thread.