Installing Python 3.3 on Anaconda Python for Windows

September 10th, 2013 | Categories: python | Tags:

Along with a colleague, I’ve been playing around with Anaconda Python recently and am very impressed with it. At the time of writing, it is at version 1.7 and comes with Python 2.7.5 by default but you can install Python 3.3 using their conda package manager.  After you’ve installed Anaconda, just start up a Windows command prompt (cmd.exe) and do

conda update conda
conda create -n py33 python=3.3 anaconda

It will chug along for a while, downloading and installing packages before leaving you with a Python 3.3 environment that is completely separated from the default 2.7.5 environment. All you have to do to activate Python 3.3 is issue the following command at the Windows command prompt

activate py33

To demonstrate that the standard anaconda build remains untouched, launch cmd.exe, type ipython and note that you are still using Python 2.7.5

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\Users\testuser>ipython
Python 2.7.5 |Anaconda 1.7.0 (64-bit)| (default, Jul  1 2013, 12:37:52) [MSC v.1500 64 bit (AMD64)]
Type "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.

IPython 1.0.0 -- An enhanced Interactive Python.
?         -> Introduction and overview of IPython's features.
%quickref -> Quick reference.
help      -> Python's own help system.
object?   -> Details about 'object', use 'object??' for extra details.

In [1]:

Exit out of ipython and activate the py33 environment before launching ipython again. This time, note that you are using Python 3.3.2

In [1]: exit()

C:\Users\testuser>activate py33
Activating environment "py33"...

[py33] C:\Users\testuser>ipython
Python 3.3.2 |Anaconda 1.7.0 (64-bit)| (default, May 17 2013, 11:32:27) [MSC v.1500 64 bit (AMD64)]
Type "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.

IPython 1.0.0 -- An enhanced Interactive Python.
?         -> Introduction and overview of IPython's features.
%quickref -> Quick reference.
help      -> Python's own help system.
object?   -> Details about 'object', use 'object??' for extra details.

In [1]:
  1. MySchizoBuddy
    September 10th, 2013 at 20:31
    Reply | Quote | #1

    Also if you want to list packages that are installed in python 3 environment you can type
    conda list -n py33

    I would recommend you update pyside, as the version included by default is old and buggy and crashes your qtconsole. update using

    conda update -n py33 pyside

  2. MySchizoBuddy
    September 10th, 2013 at 20:33
    Reply | Quote | #2

    sorry you already have the new 1.7 version so need for update

  3. MySchizoBuddy
    September 21st, 2013 at 21:56
    Reply | Quote | #3

    how do you activate back to 2.7.5

  4. MyBuddy2
    January 19th, 2014 at 04:50
    Reply | Quote | #4

    @MySchizoBuddy
    deactivate py33

    see documentation here
    http://docs.continuum.io/conda/faq.html

  5. jc7
    February 7th, 2014 at 16:47
    Reply | Quote | #5

    Hello,

    Thank you for all. I have done
    >conda update conda
    >conda create -n py33 python=3.3 anaconda
    But
    >activate py33
    return :
    No environment named “py33” exists in C:\Program
    Whereas
    > conda list -n py33
    return : the list of packages in environment at C:\Program Files\Anaconda\envs\py33
    Any idea ?
    Thank you,
    Best regards,
    Jerome

  6. jc7
    February 7th, 2014 at 16:47
    Reply | Quote | #6

    Forget : I am on Windows 7

  7. remco
    February 7th, 2014 at 22:51
    Reply | Quote | #7

    @jc7

    Leaving out the “.3” should work, so:

    conda create -n py33 python=3 anaconda

  8. Robin
    February 9th, 2014 at 13:25
    Reply | Quote | #8

    Hi guys,

    This is working great for me except for package management using pip.

    For instance, if I want to install Django on the Python 3.3 install I try:

    activate py33
    conda install Django
    Error: No packages found matching: django

    How can I then use the Python 3.3 version of pip to install django?

    Thanks very much!

    Robin

  9. david
    February 23rd, 2014 at 02:18
    Reply | Quote | #9

    What is the intended way to “. activate” conda installs? I am used to building up my own virtualenvs and “. activate” in each of them to work with that version. However, after having successfully done “conda create -n py3k python=3 anaconda” I see ~/anaconda/envs/py3k is setup but with no py3k/bin/activate script. I guess I am not clear what conda “environment” means. I assumed it was simply a flavour of virtualenv.

  10. Edgar
    March 28th, 2014 at 22:02

    Hi,
    I just tried to install Anaconda on Ubuntu and when I want to run the downloaded file, I get

    Anaconda-1.9.1-Linux-x86_64.sh: command not found

    Has anybody else encountered this?

    Edgar