To run VPython from PyScripter (the preferred Python development environment that comes with Portable Python), you must make two small configuration changes to the default PyScripter settings. The basic idea is that the Python interpreter must run in a separate process, not as the built-in Python interpreter that comes with PyScripter. You must tell PyScripter where to find the external Python binary to run and ensure that when it runs, the console window is not hidden.

Here are the steps (both settings are on the same dialog page)…

1. Launch PyScripter-Portable.exe (on the memory stick in the Portable-Python_1.1_py2.5.4 folder).
2. Open the External Run Properties dialog: Run/Configure External Run…
3. Set Properties (tab)/Command/Application to “$[PythonExe]” (without the quotes).
4. Ensure that Console/Hide console option is unchecked.

Your settings should look like this:

You can test your settings by launching one of the VPython examples that come with the distribution. Navigate to the examples directory located on the memory stick inside the Portable Python directory…

App\Lib\site-packages\visual\examples

and open, for example, doublependulum.py. Run the example using “Run/External Run”, or the hot key “Alt+F9”.

Let Tim Korb know if you have any problems or questions.