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pydoc does not work in Windows. at this post Pydoc is not working (Windows XP) the last answer by dave webb says to create a pydoc.bat file with this code in it:

@python c:\Python27\Lib\pydoc.py %*

After I create pydoc.bat where should it be placed so the pydoc command works in the command prompt?

PS adding C:\python27\Lib\pydoc.py to the Windows path in the system environment variables does not work. Even after logging out and back in it does not work.

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  • If you double click on a *.py file in Windows Explorer does it start running or is something else happening, e.g. the file is opened in an editor? Also as far as I can see, this question has been already answered. Maybe you should comment over there if you're not happy with those answers. Commented Sep 11, 2010 at 1:30
  • a command prompt style window pops up for a fraction of a second and disappears when i double click a *.py file. i have not seen this question answered over here stackoverflow.com/questions/3391998/… but I will comment there. Commented Sep 12, 2010 at 0:15

7 Answers 7

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Use python -m pydoc os instead of pydoc directly, no need to add to path variable.

the -m tells python that pydoc is a pre-built module in python and NOT a script (.py file) sitting in the current working folder.

See https://docs.python.org/3/using/cmdline.html for details

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You can also start pydoc server with this command python -m pydoc -p 8080. Then go to localhost:8080
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PS adding C:\python27\Lib\pydoc.py to the Windows path in the system environment variables does not work. Even after logging out and back in it does not work.

The PATH environment variable is a list of directories to search for a given executable. So you should be adding C:\python27\Lib to your PATH (not including the filename).

As for the pydoc.bat file you've created, one place to put it would be the C:\python27\Scripts directory which is usually added to your PATH by the python installation (since that folder contains miscellaneous scripts that you might like available at the command line).

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the only Scripts folder I found is in C:\python27\Tools\Scripts. is this the same one you are referring to?
That sounds right -- I have python 2.5, so it may have changed. That should probably be in your path already, or you can put it there if it isn't.
it worked but to get it to work I had to place pydoc.bat in C:\python27\Tools\Scripts not C:\python27\Scripts cause that DIR doesn't exist for me. thanks :)
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I have found in windows 10 powershell...

Remember to access pydoc in windows, it's python -m pydoc. If you want to access info on "file", add the word "file" after. Like this "python -m pydoc file" (*w/o the quotes).

What you type after python -m pydoc, will tell it what info you want brought up and/or looking for. i.e. python -m pydoc raw_input, python -m pydoc string, python -m pydoc file.

Remmeber python -m pydoc must be in front of what you are looking for.

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put it in any folder that is in your PATH. Example: C:\Windows\System32

Alternatively, you can put it anywhere, and then add the folder it is in to windows PATH

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1

If you add .PY to your PATHEXT environment variable, you don't need the batch script. Just add C:\Python27\Lib to PATH, and you're all set.

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1

I have a simple PowerShell script sitting in my "\python27\" directory called 'pydoc.ps1'. I can then call pydoc as intended...

ie.
c:> pydoc raw_input

code for 'pydoc.psi':

foreach ($i in $args)
    {python \python27\lib\pydoc.py $i}
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As an example for Raw_input, try: python -m pydoc raw_input

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The problem going by the accepted answer seems to be that the path environment variable needed to be updated.