This inspired me to add a shortcut to the properties dialog of my Leo icon.
Now I can start Leo just by clicking: *Ctrl+Shift+L*.
[image: LeoStart.png]
The complete *Target *is:
C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c "C:\venvs\leo\run_leo.bat"
As *Run* is *Minimized*, the command window doesn't show up.
The complete *run_leo.bat* is:
@echo off
echo Activating virtual environment...
call C:\venvs\leo\Scripts\activate
echo Launching Leo...
leo
if %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 (
echo Error: Failed to launch Leo. Check the error message above.
pause
)
echo Deactivating virtual environment...
deactivate
On Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at 5:49:02 PM UTC+2 [email protected] wrote:
> Another easy way to start Leo is to use the Run dialog you get by typing
> <Windows key>+R. After you have done this once, the command is remembered
> and available in the dialog - scroll up or down a step or two if it's not
> there at the beginning. In my case, here's the command I use; it launches
> a batch file that starts Leo using the version in my Git repository:
>
> py-leo-git --theme=tbp_dark
>
> I find it easier to start Leo this way than by clicking on an icon, but of
> course YMMV.
> On Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at 10:36:58 AM UTC-4 rengel wrote:
>
>> @tbp1...
>>
>> Thanks for your detailed comments about the finer details of pip. As I
>> said, I settled for the venv solution; and up to now it runs flawlessly.
>> I'm on a single-user machine in my private home. So no one else will ever
>> install anything on this machine. My main Python installation doesn't
>> contain PyQt6. Everything is localized in the venv.
>>
>> For me it is important that I can start Leo from the taskbar. For that,
>> the batch file is needed. The last part of my conversation with Grok was
>> mainly about debugging the batch file that Grok initially suggested. As
>> you might have seen, the final version of this batch file does contain the
>> 'call' command, because the first version indeed stopped after the first
>> line. And the answer to my last question of the conversation helped me to
>> get that clickable Lion icon on the taskbar faster, than I could have done
>> on my own, because those pesky details slip may memory way too fast.
>>
>> Thanks again!
>> Reinhard
>>
>> On Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at 3:09:34 PM UTC+2 [email protected]
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Some of the things that the chatbot suggested aren't really the best,
>>> and in some cases seem to be wrong, even though you succeeded. For example,
>>> suggested batch file run_leo.bat isn't necessary in a venv. On install Leo
>>> creates a launcher in the Scripts directory. After activation, typing
>>> "leo" will launch it. What is helpful to to have a batch file in your path
>>> that both activates the venv and launches Leo. That way you don't have to
>>> type the path the the activate script.
>>>
>>> Another mistake is that py -m leo won't launch leo. The right command
>>> is py -m leo.core.runLeo (there are other possibilities too). But as I
>>> said, once the venv has been activated, a simple leo is enough.
>>>
>>> Here's a minimal batch file that will activate the venv and run Leo. It
>>> assumes that the name of the venv is "leo" Just change the path to suit
>>> your own location:
>>>
>>> setlocal
>>> call c:\tom\venvs\leo\Scripts\activate
>>> py -m leo.core.runLeo %*
>>> endlocal
>>>
>>> You need the "call" command in Windows because without it the script
>>> will stop after that line. On linux, replace"call" with "source". The
>>> setlocal/endlocal (Windows only) remove path and other environmental
>>> variable changes that may happen during the activation and Leo session
>>> (which probably wouldn't be a problem for you but it's good practice
>>> anyway).
>>>
>>> Another thing that can happen, and can cause version conflicts and
>>> unexpected behavior when a program or packages are removed. It's the
>>> distinction between installing into the main Python location and the user's
>>> location. The user location is specific to each user, and you install into
>>> it using the "--user" option: py -m pip install --user leo. With a
>>> venv, there is no distinction. "--user" isn't allowed, and all installs go
>>> into the venv. The chatbot's suggestions didn't use "--user". Usually it's
>>> considered better to install most things with "--user". In case something
>>> in the system-level Python locations gets used for system purposes, keeping
>>> other installs in the user's locations can prevent version conflicts and
>>> the like. This is more important on Linux than Windows but it's still a
>>> good practice to use "--user" when possible.
>>>
>>> Now what will happen if you install one program that uses, say, PyQt6 as
>>> user, and install another program that also uses PyQt6 without the "--user"
>>> option? You might end up with different versions of PyQt6 in the two
>>> locations. Python sets up the paths to search the user's locations first.
>>> So if you use Pip to uninstall PyQt6, and then run Python, it will still
>>> use the other version of PyQt6. Or fail to, if the other install becomes
>>> broken somehow.
>>>
>>> In other words, there can be hidden and unexpected results if sometimes
>>> one installs using "--user" and sometimes one doesn't. I have done this to
>>> myself more than once. Using a venv makes this kind of problem go away. It
>>> also prevents errors that happen when the pip command runs a different
>>> version of Python than what you expected. That can happen, for example,
>>> when you have multiple versions of Python installed. It is recommended to
>>> launch Pip using py -m pip to
>>> prevent this problem. With a venv, the right versions are always run
>>> and this issue doesn't come up.
>>> On Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at 5:59:04 AM UTC-4 rengel wrote:
>>>
>>>> I used Grok extensively to help me solving this issue. In case somebody
>>>> is interested in the dialog, here is the link:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> https://grok.com/share/c2hhcmQtMg%3D%3D_abe479b8-59c3-46db-b21a-35be3f2be2dc
>>>>
>>>> It is rather long, but it leads from describing the issue to clean
>>>> starting Leo from the Windows taskbar.
>>>> (It also shows my lack of experience in these matters; but that's
>>>> another topic...)
>>>>
>>>> On Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at 11:32:14 AM UTC+2 rengel wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> @lewis, @tbp1
>>>>>
>>>>> Thank you both for chipping in. I tried both your suggestions.
>>>>> Deleting old relics of PyQt6* and a fresh reinstall of PyQt6 in the
>>>>> main Python installation solved all the problems;
>>>>> and using a venv with a simple 'pip install leo' worked as well.
>>>>> Finally I settled for the venv solution!
>>>>> Thanks again!
>>>>> Reinhard
>>>>>
>>>>> On Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at 1:29:53 AM UTC+2 [email protected]
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> That's one reason to try to install to a new venv. There won't be
>>>>>> any left-over bits to confuse the installer.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at 5:00:12 PM UTC-4 lewis wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> After updating to Python 3.14 I had the same problem starting Leo.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> *File "N:\git\leo-editor\leo\core\leoQt.py", line 6, in <module>
>>>>>>> from PyQt6 import QtCore, QtGui, QtWidgets*
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> *ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'PyQt6.sip'*
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I needed to uninstall packages PyQt6 and PyQt6_sip, then reinstall.
>>>>>>> Leo then worked fine. Both my desktop PC and laptop had the same issue.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> There have been other packages which did not work correctly
>>>>>>> with Python 3.14 and a package reinstall was needed.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at 2:17:14 AM UTC+11 rengel wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> [image: ModuleNotFoundError.png]
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> A correction: The installation from github did install
>>>>>>>> launchLeo.py. But starting 'python launchLeo.py' still results in the
>>>>>>>> error:
>>>>>>>> ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'PyQt6.sip'. (I did install
>>>>>>>> the requirements.)
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at 5:00:37 PM UTC+2 rengel wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Thank you for your answers!
>>>>>>>>> I waited for a couple of days to install the latest version of
>>>>>>>>> leo. But in vain. I tried both the pip install and the install from
>>>>>>>>> github.
>>>>>>>>> But in both cases I get the same error shown in my original post.
>>>>>>>>> Upon
>>>>>>>>> closer inspection, I noticed that neither launchLeo.py nor PyQt6.sip
>>>>>>>>> have
>>>>>>>>> been installed. And the installation didn't install a Leo home
>>>>>>>>> directory
>>>>>>>>> for me.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Thursday, October 9, 2025 at 11:08:55 PM UTC+2
>>>>>>>>> [email protected] wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I just installed Python 3.14 on Windows 11. Then I created a new
>>>>>>>>>> virtual environment and pip-installed Leo into it. PyQt6.sip got
>>>>>>>>>> installed
>>>>>>>>>> and Leo ran normally. Something went wrong when @rengel tried
>>>>>>>>>> installing
>>>>>>>>>> Leo, I think, because PyQt6 didn't install normally.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I'd suggest creating a venv like I did and trying it that way.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> On Thursday, October 9, 2025 at 4:48:45 PM UTC-4 Thomas Passin
>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I don't think that's it - PyQt6.sip normally gets installed
>>>>>>>>>>> during a PyQt6 installation.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> On Thursday, October 9, 2025 at 2:52:51 PM UTC-4
>>>>>>>>>>> [email protected] wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> @rengel,
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> rengel schrieb am Donnerstag, 9. Oktober 2025 um 16:43:08 UTC+2:
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>>>>>>>> yesterday I updated my machine from Windows 10 to Winddos 11.
>>>>>>>>>>>> Today, I completely removed all my old Python installations and
>>>>>>>>>>>> then
>>>>>>>>>>>> installed the new Python 3.14. From Python I did a fresh install
>>>>>>>>>>>> of Leo
>>>>>>>>>>>> from PyPi (`python -m pip install leo`) as described on the Leo
>>>>>>>>>>>> website.
>>>>>>>>>>>> During the install I got the following WARNING:
>>>>>>>>>>>> [image: leo-warning.png]
>>>>>>>>>>>> When I start leo, I get the following error:[image:
>>>>>>>>>>>> leo-error.png]
>>>>>>>>>>>> The environment contains the correct paths to Python and
>>>>>>>>>>>> Python\Scripts.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> You installed the latest version of Leo from PyPI, which is
>>>>>>>>>>>> version 6.8.6.1.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> This version does NOT yet support Python 3.14.0 !
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> If you want to try it out before Edward releases version 6.8.7,
>>>>>>>>>>>> you have to use the 'devel' branch from GitHub.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> See
>>>>>>>>>>>> https://leo-editor.github.io/leo-editor/installing.html#installing-leo-from-github
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> With kind regards,
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Viktor
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
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