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I have a basic problem where I don't know how to run a Python script from command line in Ubuntu without using python keyword. So, I put a shebang in my Python script so I could run it as nameofthescript from the command line, but I only could do it by using ./nameofthescript. I want to be able to run it by just typing the name of the script in the cmd. I searched and tried everything I could on the web, but none is working. Any help is appreciated. Below is a simple code I wrote to test it.

I already tried chmod +x this file. Also this file is saved with no extension.

#!/usr/bin/python

import sys

def main(argv):
    print(argv)
    print("Hello")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main(sys.argv[1:])
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  • You need to put the script on your $PATH, by putting it in a directory listed by typing echo $PATH on the commandline. Commented Apr 16, 2019 at 18:28
  • I have tried that, and still couldnt get it to work. Thank you for your comment. Commented Apr 16, 2019 at 18:33

4 Answers 4

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The problem is with your $PATH variable.

When you go to run a command (without the "./" in front of it) Ubuntu looks in all the folders listed in your $PATH variable. Your can see it by running:

echo $PATH

If Ubuntu doesn't see the command in any of those folders, it will say that it can't be found.

You can solve this problem by altering your $PATH variable in your profile. Go to your home directory and open the ".profile" file (note the period in front) and add the following to the end:

PATH = "/path/to/folder/with/file/:$PATH"

However, if it's a program you could see yourself using a lot in the future and your don't want to clutter up your $PATH, I'd recommend sticking the finished command in your "/usr/local/bin" folder instead. I find that folder gets used as an "odd sock drawer" of programs you create/compile yourself, so I usually end up putting my personal tools in there rather than modifying my $PATH.

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4 Comments

That is very useful to know, thank you for pointing that out. I have tried putting my exec file in /usr/local/bin, but in the cmd when I typed nameofscript,nothing happened. However, like I have mentioned, when I typed ./nameofscript, the codes ran.
Interesting. Just for clarification, when you say “nothing happened” do you mean that there was no output at all and it waited for the next command, or was there a “command not found” message of some kind? Also, what output do you get from “echo $PATH”?
Yeah, it just waited for the next command line. It does not print anything for me. This is the output I got from running echo $PATH /usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games:/usr/local/games:/snap/bin
Okay so the path is good. I tried running code on my machine and it worked fine. Try putting a “print(‘Hello’)” immediately after the import statement. If it prints “Hello”, then we know the OS is finding the file I’d suspect there may be a typo in your original code that is not in the lines you posted in your question.
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That's how it's supposed to work, not only for Python scripts but for any executable. See: Why do you need ./ (dot-slash) before executable or script name to run it in bash?

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Please Try this one

On unix systems, Python scripts can be made executable using the following process:

Add this line as the first line in the script:

#!/usr/bin/env python

At the unix command prompt, type the following to make myexe.py executable:

$ chmod +x myexe.py

Move myexe.py into your bin directory, and it will be runnable from anywhere.

$ cp myexe.py /usr/bin

OR

$ cp myexe.py /usr/local/bin

So myexe.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
print("Hello This is executable python script")

Now Go to terminal and type myexe.py

$ myexe.py
Hello This is excutable python script

If you want to run by double-clicking remove .py extention

source link

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Thank you for answer. I tried that, and I still have use ./ in front of the script to run it. When I tried running by typing the name of the script only, nothing happens in the terminal.
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I have found a way to solve this. I still include the shebang #!/usr/bin/env python3.6 at the top of Python script. Then I would go to cd /etc->sudo nano bash.bashrc, and at the very last line, all I did was add a line (alias nameofscript = "./nameofscript"). From there I restarted my Ubuntu, and was able to run my Python script just by the name of the script. Thank you everyone for the help.

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