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Preparing Visual Studio 2015 For Python Development

Setup a Visual Studio Python Environment in 5 Minutes using PTVS (Python Tools for Visual Studio)

 

You'll need:

 

Download the MSI:
Git "Python Tools for Visual Studio" : https://github.com/Microsoft/PTVS
2012 and 2012: https://github.com/Microsoft/PTVS/releases/v2.1.1
2
015 : https://ptvs.azureedge.net/download/PTVS%202.2.5%20VS%202015.msi

 

Install the tools:
Double click your MSI.

 

Create a new Visual Studio  Python Project:
File >New >Project : Installed >Templates >Python
Choose Python Application. 

PTVS Comes with many different python projects types including:

  • Django Web Projects
  • Flask /Jade Web Projects
  • Python Applications (Console Apps)
  • IronPython Projects

 

Setup the Python environment in VS (if not auto detected):

In most cases PTVS will find your python environment and set the location in VS. if this is not the case, follow the below steps to tell VS where your python environment lives.

Go to  Tools >Options >Python Tools >Environment Options. 
Click add environment, add a name for your environment. ex: "Python 3.4 Annaconda".
Add the path to your python.exe. 

Test your setup:

 In Visual Studio navigate to your PythonApplication1.py file and add the following line of code:
print("hello World")

Press F5 on your keyboard or click start. 

Congratulations! You're now setup for Python development using Visual Studio. Happy Dev'n.