installing ActiveState Python 3.9 under windows 10/11

Question

from Powershell Prompt I typed the following according to the installation instructions:

PS>
   & $([scriptblock]::Create((New-Object Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://platform.activestate.com/dl/cli/AS700/install-latest.ps1'))) -c'state activate --default wmooreavista/Python-3.9.9-Windows'

OUTPUT of command:

• Preparing Installer for State Tool Package Manager...√ Done

State Tool Package Manager is already installed at C:\Users\wpmoore\AppData\Local\ActiveState\StateTool\release\bin\state.exe. To reinstall use the --force flag.

Running `state activate --default wmooreavista/Python-3.9.9-Windows`

█ Creating a Virtual Environment for your Project's Packages

✔ Project "wmooreavista/Python-3.9.9-Windows" Has Been Activated

Quick Start
───────────
• To add a package to your runtime, type "state install <package name>"
• Learn more about how to use the State Tool, type "state learn"


[wmooreavista/Python-3.9.9-Windows] C:\Users\wpmoore\Python-3.9.9-Windows>

Then I closed the window thinking python 3.9 was installed but when i search my harddisk I can't find the directory "C:\python3" and I can't find the executable "python3.exe" ... What gives? Also, why does it start a cmd.exe shell after installing python with a powershell command line? That's really confusing... how to start python3 after installing it using powershell command and closing the install command line windows?

Where did it say that it installed python3.exe in C:\python3? — mkrieger1, Jan 24 '22 at 16:39
that's what the old msi installer from activestate used to do... now it installs some active state tool with no explaination how to use it to start python... "C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Local\ActiveState\StateTool\release\state.exe" — pico, Jan 24 '22 at 16:41
It said 'Learn more about how to use the State Tool, type "state learn"', did you do that? — mkrieger1, Jan 24 '22 at 16:42
Did you check if the Python executable is in the `C:\Users\wpmoore\Python-3.9.9-Windows` directory? — theoctober19th, Jan 24 '22 at 16:42
"*that's what the old msi installer from activestate used to do*" Can you elaborate as to how you reached the conclusion that the MSI you're referencing and the script you've run above are connected or how you got the idea that they are meant to perform the same *exact* function? Can you provide a reference that explains this? — esqew, Jan 24 '22 at 16:42
I'm just wondering how the new installer works... previously activatestate had an MSI installer... C:\Users\wpmoore\Python-3.9.9-Windows doesn't contain an exe... just a yaml file — pico, Jan 24 '22 at 16:43

pico · Answer 1 · 2022-01-24T17:08:32.740

I found out that state.exe creates a batch file wrapper for python under:

$USERPROFILE\AppData\Local\ActiveState\cache\bin\python3.bat

So I guess that "$USERPROFILE\AppData\Local\ActiveState\cache\bin" needs to go into the PATH variable to use ActiveState Python from Windows 10 powershell...

From Powershell:

PS> cd $USERPROFILE

PS> Get-ChildItem -Path . -Include python*.bat -Force -Recurse | %{ $_.FullName}

installing ActiveState Python 3.9 under windows 10/11

1 Answers1