How to run IDLE for python 3 in a conda environment?

Question

For running python2 all I do is activate the required conda environment and just type idle. It automatically opens IDLE for python 2.7. But I can't figure out how to do this for Python 3. I have python 3.5 installed in my environment. I used conda create -n py35 anaconda for install installing python 3.5 .

Answer 1

Just in case others searched for how to open IDLE from a conda virtualenv and found this answer, the process that works for me is:

activate myenv
python -m idlelib

This should open up the IDLE editor and you can run code within myenv.

Answer 2

To install another version of Python (e.g. Python 3.5.2), when using Anaconda for one version of Python (e.g. Python 2.7), you can do the following on the Anaconda prompt:

First, create a new conda environment and install python 3.5.2 with anaconda:

conda create -n py352 python=3.5.2 anaconda

Once complete, if you want to access IDLE of Python 3.5.2 quickly on Windows:

• Go to "C:\..Anaconda\envs\py352" folder on Explorer
• Create a shortcut for pythonw.exe file located on that folder.
• Move the shortcut to your Desktop or any other location easily accessible

• Right click the shortcut, go to Properties, and change the target field in the Shortcut tab from

  C:\....\Anaconda\envs\py352\pythonw.exe
  

  to

  C:\...\Anaconda\envs\py352\pythonw.exe "C:\...\Anaconda\envs\py352\Lib\idlelib\idle.pyw"