Where can I find the first text that loads in the Python shell and change it?

Question

This text loads when I open IDLE or load Python in cmd:

Python 3.4.3 (v3.4.3:9b73f1c3e601, Feb 24 2015, 22:43:06) [MSC v.1600 32 bit (Intel)] on win32 Type "copyright", "credits" or "license()" for more information.

Where can I find the file and change the text or make a script load instead?

Answer 1

I don't know of any way to change the default text without modifying/recompiling the python binary, but it seems you can use the environment variable PYTHONSTARTUP in order to add additional text via a python file with print commands. You can also change the prompt strings in this file. For example:

in my .bashrc:

export PYTHONSTARTUP=/home/jake/.mypythonstartup

/home/jake/.mypythonstartup:

import sys
print("Welcome, master!")
sys.ps1 = "How may I serve you? "
sys.ps2 = "                 ... "

Result:

$ python
Python 2.7.5 (default, Mar  9 2014, 22:15:05) 
[GCC 4.2.1 Compatible Apple LLVM 5.0 (clang-500.0.68)] on darwin
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
Welcome, master!
How may I serve you? def test():
                 ...     print("test")
                 ...
How may I serve you? test()
test
How may I serve you? 

Documentation on PYTHONSTARTUP can be found here: https://docs.python.org/3/tutorial/appendix.html#the-interactive-startup-file

Answer 2

Based on a quick snoop around the idlelib source code, you could do something like:

from code import interact
interact("Welcome master.")

In use:

$ python idle2.py
Welcome master.
>>> print 'foo'
foo

---

You could also use the command line flags to run a command then enter interactive mode:

$ python -ic "print 'Welcome master.'"
Welcome master.
>>>