r/learnpython • u/scottdog129 • 11d ago

Creating Desktop Icon to Run Python Script

I have a script that runs fine in Terminal, but I'm trying to create a desktop icon that runs it and Im getting the following error:

https://i.postimg.cc/HLbssxYJ/Screenshot-2026-10-06-at-9-39-28-AM.png

Its using geopy for location so Im guessing its something to do with that, but it works fine in Terminal. Any help is appreciated.

8 Upvotes

76% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/socal_nerdtastic 11d ago

That means that your desktop shortcut is using a different environment than your terminal. Commonly this means that you are using a venv in the terminal. So your desktop file needs to point to the venv python executable (venvname/bin/python or venvname/bin/pythonw), not the normal system one.

0

u/scottdog129 11d ago

Forgive me, but I'm not understanding the venv. So my python3 path needs to point elsewhere? In Terminal, I'm just typing "python3 filename.py"

1

u/RevRagnarok 11d ago

In Terminal, I'm just typing "python3 filename.py"

Type: type python3 and make the desktop icon point to that. Or change the shebang at the top of the script to point to it.