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Bug: Spaces in Python Path Cause Errors for pygubu-designer on Windows #279

@kunalch204

Description

@kunalch204

Describe the bug
When attempting to run pygubu-designer on Windows, users encounter an error if Python is installed in a directory with spaces, such as C:\Program Files. The terminal does not recognize the full path unless it is enclosed in quotation marks, causing the following error:

'C:\Program' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program.

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

  1. Install Python in a directory with spaces in the path (e.g. C:\Program Files\Python312).
  2. Add the pygubu-designer tool by running pip install pygubu-designer.
  3. Attempt to run pygubu-designer from the terminal or PowerShell:
    C:\Program Files\Python312\Scripts\pygubu-designer.exe
  4. See the error message:
    'C:\Program' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program.

Expected behavior
The pygubu-designer should run without errors, regardless of whether the Python installation directory contains spaces.

Your Environment (please complete the following information):

  • OS: Windows 10
  • Python version: Python 3.12
  • Pygubu version: e.g. pygubu 0.29
  • Designer version: e.g. pygubu-designer 0.34

Troubleshooting

Issue: Error When Running pygubu-designer on Windows

If you encounter the error:
'C:\Program' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program.

This happens because paths with spaces need to be handled carefully in the terminal. To fix this, you can:

  1. Use Quotation Marks Wrap the path to Python in double quotation marks:
    C:\Program Files\Python312\python.exe" -m pygubu-designer
  2. Add Python to PATH Add the Python installation directory and the Scripts folder to your PATH environment variable. Steps:
  • Open System Properties (Win + R, type sysdm.cpl).
  • Navigate to Advanced > Environment Variables.
  • Under System Variables, find and edit Path.
  • Add the following:
    • C:\Program Files\Python312\
    • C:\Program Files\Python312\Scripts\
  1. Use Short Path Names You can use the 8.3 pathname format to avoid spaces in the path:
    C:\PROGRA~1\Python312\python.exe -m pygubu-designer

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