How to run a python script from IDLE interactive shell?

Question

Python3:

exec(open('helloworld.py').read())

If your file not in the same dir:

exec(open('./app/filename.py').read())

See https://stackoverflow.com/a/437857/739577 for passing global/local variables.

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In deprecated Python versions

Python2 Built-in function: execfile

execfile('helloworld.py')

It normally cannot be called with arguments. But here's a workaround:

import sys
sys.argv = ['helloworld.py', 'arg']  # argv[0] should still be the script name
execfile('helloworld.py')

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Deprecated since 2.6: popen

import os
os.popen('python helloworld.py') # Just run the program
os.popen('python helloworld.py').read() # Also gets you the stdout

With arguments:

os.popen('python helloworld.py arg').read()

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Advance usage: subprocess

import subprocess
subprocess.call(['python', 'helloworld.py']) # Just run the program
subprocess.check_output(['python', 'helloworld.py']) # Also gets you the stdout

With arguments:

subprocess.call(['python', 'helloworld.py', 'arg'])

Read the docs for details :-)

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Tested with this basic helloworld.py:

import sys
if len(sys.argv) > 1:
    print(sys.argv[1])

You can use this in python3:

exec(open(filename).read())

The IDLE shell window is not the same as a terminal shell (e.g. running sh or bash). Rather, it is just like being in the Python interactive interpreter (python -i). The easiest way to run a script in IDLE is to use the Open command from the File menu (this may vary a bit depending on which platform you are running) to load your script file into an IDLE editor window and then use the Run -> Run Module command (shortcut F5).

EASIEST WAY

python -i helloworld.py  #Python 2

python3 -i helloworld.py #Python 3

Try this

import os
import subprocess

DIR = os.path.join('C:\\', 'Users', 'Sergey', 'Desktop', 'helloword.py')

subprocess.call(['python', DIR])

execFile('helloworld.py') does the job for me. A thing to note is to enter the complete directory name of the .py file if it isnt in the Python folder itself (atleast this is the case on Windows)

For example, execFile('C:/helloworld.py')