Add “New > Python File” option to Windows Explorer context menu during installation

[Unknownuserfrommars]

Feature or enhancement

Proposal:

Hello Python Dev Team,

I’d like to suggest adding an option to create a new Python file directly from the Windows Explorer New context menu. This feature could be integrated into the Python installer for Windows. It would save users from having to manually configure the Windows Registry to achieve this functionality.

Proposed Behavior:

• During installation, the installer could optionally add the necessary ShellNew registry keys for .py files. (In HEKY_CLASSES_ROOT, i believe)
• Users could immediately create .py files via Right-click > New > Python File without additional setup.

Benefits:

• Streamlines the experience for new Python users, especially those less comfortable with manual registry edits.
• Aligns with the behavior of other common file types (e.g., text files, Word docs).

Potential Challenges:

• Ensuring this feature is optional during installation.
• Supporting user-defined Python file templates, if applicable.

Would this be a viable addition? Thanks for considering!

Has this already been discussed elsewhere?

No response given

Links to previous discussion of this feature:

No response

[picnixz]

@zooba Should (and can) this be done on our side or on Windows' side?

[Unknownuserfrommars]

For the users, maybe a tweak in regedit will do, like change/add some values in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.File, I've tried without success. It'd be very convenient if the Python installer does it for users.

[StanFromIreland]

This would be a good addition in my opinion!

Something like this should work I think?

reg add HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.py /ve /d "Python.File" /f
reg add HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.py\ShellNew /v NullFile /t REG_SZ /d "" /f
reg add HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.File /ve /d "Python Script" /f

The uninstaller would also have to be modified to clean these up.

@Unknownuserfrommars do you plan to open a PR or are other users free to do so?

[EEBFF123]

Something like this should work I think?

reg add HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.py /ve /d "Python.File" /f
reg add HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.py\ShellNew /v NullFile /t REG_SZ /d "" /f
reg add HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.File /ve /d "Python Script" /f

I tried it out in Powershell Administrator mode, it worked nicely

It created a New > Python File option, and worked just fine.
However, the problem is that AT LEAST the uninstaller needs to be modified to remove this. (It would be even better if the installer is modified so no additional regedit is needed.

[Unknownuserfrommars]

@StanFromIreland It's okay, you can feel free to open a PR

[zooba]

It belongs in the installer, and the file association is part of the launcher, so it'll be in those files.

FTR, I'm currently working on a proposal to deprecate the old installer, so I'll also make a note to look at enabling this in the replacement.