How to set other Python interpreter to IPython

Question

Can we change the version of Python interpreter that IPython uses?

I know there is IPython and IPython3, but the problem is, IPython uses Python2.7, and IPython3 uses Python3.4.2, and I see no way to change that.

What if I wanted IPython to use which ever version of Python interpreter I wanted, could I make it that way?

I want IPython to use the newest Python version, Python3.6. Can I make it that way?

Answer 1

Modifying a distributed file should be a last resort. I suggest this alternative using python3.6 on Ubuntu 17.04 as an example:

python3.6 -m pip install IPython # lots of output, make IPython available to script ipython3
python3.6 `which ipython3`
Python 3.6.1 (default, Mar 22 2017, 06:17:05) 
[GCC 6.3.0 20170321] on linux
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> 

Answer 2

First off, please check what version (by version I mean, the path of the interpreter) of python IPython uses using the which ipython command. Once you know the path, open the file and post the contents here.

Try to make it look like this:

#!/usr/bin/python

# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
import re
import sys

from IPython import start_ipython

if __name__ == '__main__':
    sys.argv[0] = re.sub(r'(-script\.pyw|\.exe)?$', '', sys.argv[0])
    sys.exit(start_ipython())

The first line supposedly ensures that your local python interpreter is used. Commonly called a shebang line.

If you are on a Windows system, try the where ipython command instead.