anaconda – path environment variable in windows

Question or problem about Python programming:

I am trying to run python from the windows command prompt (windows 10). So the result is the typical one when the path environment variable is not configured

 c:\windows\system32>python
'python' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable
 program or batch file

however, I am not sure which is the right directory I should set up in the path variable.

I tried a few variations, and none of them work, including:

c:\users\xxx\anaconda3
c:\users\xxx\anaconda3\Scripts
c:\users\xxx\anaconda3\libs\python34

and none of them works.

Does anyone have experience with this particular system constellation (windows, anaconda). Thanks.

How to solve the problem:

Solution 1:

it turns out I was mistaken.

Solution is: in anaconda (as well as in other implementations), set the path environment variable to the directory where ‘python.exe’ is installed.

As a default, the python.exe file in anaconda is in:

c:\.....\anaconda

after you do that, obviously, the python command works, in my case, yielding the following.

python
Python 3.4.3 |Anaconda 2.2.0. (64|bit)|(default, Nov 7 2015), etc, etc

Solution 2:

Instead of giving the path following way:

C:\Users\User_name\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\python.exe

Do this:

C:\Users\User_name\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\

Solution 3:

The default location for python.exe should be here: c:\users\xxx\anaconda3
One solution to find where it is, is to open the Anaconda Prompt then execute:

> where python

This will return the absolute path of locations of python eg:

(base) C:\>where python
C:\Users\Chad\Anaconda3\python.exe
C:\ProgramData\Miniconda2\python.exe
C:\dev\Python27\python.exe
C:\dev\Python34\python.exe

Solution 4:

C:\Users\\Anaconda3

I just added above path , to my path environment variables and it worked.
Now, all we have to do is to move to the .py script location directory, open the cmd with that location and run to see the output.

Solution 5:

C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda2

For me this was the default installation directory on Windows 7. Found it via Rusy’s answer

Solution 6:

In windows 10 you can find it here:

C:\Users\[USER]\AppData\Local\conda\conda\envs\[ENVIRONMENT]\python.exe

Solution 7:

To export the exact set of paths used by Anaconda, use the command echo %PATH% in Anaconda Prompt. This is needed to avoid problems with certain libraries such as SSL.

Reference: https://stackoverflow.com/a/54240362/663028

Solution 8:

You can also run conda init as below,

C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\Scripts\conda init cmd.exe

or

C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\Scripts\conda init powershell

Note that the execution policy of powershell must be set, e.g. using Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted.

Solution 9:

You could also just re-install Anaconda, and tick the option add variable to Path.. This will prevent you from making mistakes when editing environment variables. If you make mistakes here, your operating system could start malfunctioning.

Solution 10:

Provide the Directory/Folder path where python.exe is available in Anaconda folder like

C:\Users\user_name\Anaconda3\

This should must work.

Hope this helps!