Python path help

how can i run my program using test files on my desktop without typing in the specific pathname. I just want to be able to type the file name and continue on with my program. Since i want to be able to send it to a friend and not needing for him to change the path rather just read the exact same file that 开发者_StackOverflow中文版he has on his desktop.

f = open(os.path.join(os.environ['USERPROFILE'], 'DESKTOP', my_filename))

If you are on Unix/Mac you can add a shebang at the top of your script and set it as executable. Usually you'd do:

#!/usr/bin/env python

And then to make it executable, from a terminal use chmod:

chmod +x script.py

Now you can run the script (if you are in the same directory) like:

./script.py

If you are on Windows you'll want to add the Python executable to your %PATH% enviromental variable, then you can run your script with python script.py. They talk about this in more depth in the Python documentation: http://docs.python.org/using/windows.html

If you place your Python script in the same directory as the files your script is going to open, then you don't need to specify any paths. Be sure to allow the Python installer to "Register Extensions", so Python is called when you double-click on a Python script.

You can tell your friend to make *.py files to be executed by the interpreter. Change it from Explorer:Tools:Folder Options:File Types.