Python Right-Click Context Launcher

A small utility to add "Run with Python (auto-venv)" and "Edit Script" options to .py files when you right-click them in Windows.

The "Run with Python (auto-venv)" context menu will automatically:

• Detect a nearby virtual environment (venv)
• Run your Python script using the venv if available
• Fall back to the system Python if no venv is found
• Show readable output in a terminal window

The "Edit Script" context menu will:

• Open the script in your chosen editor (e.g., VS Code, Notepad++, etc.)

Ideal for developers working with multiple Python environments and needing quick access to both running and editing scripts.

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What's Included

This tool consists of 5 files:

File	Purpose
python_env_runner.bat	Script that runs your Python file using a nearby venv (if one is found)
py_run_with_python_menu_install.bat	Adds the "Run with Python (auto-venv)" context menu entry (requires admin)
py_run_with_python_menu_uninstall.bat	Removes the "Run with Python (auto-venv)" context menu entry (requires admin)
py_edit_script_menu_install.bat	Adds the "Edit Script" context menu entry with your chosen editor (requires admin)
py_edit_script_menu_uninstall.bat	Removes the "Edit Script" context menu entry (requires admin)

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Installation Instructions

For "Run with Python (auto-venv)" Context Menu

1. Download and Extract the project file to your desired location (e.g., your user folder or a project tools directory).
2. Right-click py_run_with_python_menu_install.bat and choose "Run as administrator".
3. After successful installation, right-click any .py file and you’ll see:

   Run with Python (auto-venv)
   

   This will:
   • Detect a virtual environment (if present in the same folder or parent folder)
   • Run the script using that environment
   • If no venv is found, it uses your system Python

For "Edit Script" Context Menu

1. Ensure all files are extracted to the same location as above.
2. Right-click py_edit_script_menu_install.bat and choose "Run as administrator".
3. A file picker will appear—select the .exe of your preferred editor (e.g., code.exe for VS Code).
4. After successful installation, right-click any .py file and you’ll see:

   Edit Script
   

   This will open the script in your chosen editor.

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Uninstallation

For "Run with Python (auto-venv)" Context Menu

1. Right-click py_run_with_python_menu_uninstall.bat and choose "Run as administrator".
2. This will remove the "Run with Python (auto-venv)" context menu entry from your system.

For "Edit Script" Context Menu

1. Right-click py_edit_script_menu_uninstall.bat and choose "Run as administrator".

2. This will remove the "Edit Script" context menu entry from your system.

3. After uninstalling both, you can safely delete the folder with all files.

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Requirements

• Windows 10 or 11
• Python installed and added to PATH (for running scripts)
• Virtual environments created using python -m venv (optional but supported)
• A text editor with an executable (e.g., VS Code, Notepad++, etc.) for the "Edit Script" option

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Notes

• This tool does not modify your system Python or global configuration.
• It only affects the right-click behavior for .py files.
• Requires admin access only during install/uninstall.
• Easy to remove.

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Optional: Set as Default App for .py Files

If you want to run Python scripts by simply double-clicking them, you can set the python_env_runner.bat script as the default app for opening .py files. This will use the same logic as the "Run with Python (auto-venv)" context menu option, attempting to run the script with a nearby virtual environment if available, or falling back to the system Python.

Warning: This will change the default behavior of double-clicking .py files from opening them in an editor to running them. If you frequently edit scripts, you may prefer to keep the default behavior and use the context menu options instead.

Steps to Set as Default:

1. Right-click on a .py file.
2. Select "Open with" > "Choose another app".
3. In the dialog, check the box that says "Always use this app to open .py files".
4. Click "More apps" if necessary, then "Look for another app on this PC".
5. Navigate to the folder where you extracted the files and select python_env_runner.bat.
6. Click "OK" to set it as the default.

Now, double-clicking a .py file will run it using the python_env_runner.bat script. If you’ve installed the "Edit Script" context menu, you can still right-click and choose "Edit Script" to open it in your editor.