C:\cygwin64\bin\python3 doesn't work from cmd

[Aurélien Couderc]

On Tue, Oct 7, 2025 at 3:47 PM Marco Atzeri via Cygwin
<cygwin@cygwin.com> wrote:
>
> On 07/10/2025 14:17, gamer 191 via Cygwin wrote:
> > Hi,
> > I noticed that C:\cygwin64\bin\python3 doesn't work if I invoke it from
> > command prompt, likely because it doesn't have the .exe extension. It works
> > if I create a copy named python3.exe.
> > Kind regards,
> > gamer191
> >
>
> Hi Gamer
>
> python3 is a Cygwin link managed by alternatives and NOT understood by
> command prompt.
>
>
> $ ls -l python3
> lrwxrwxrwx 1 marco Administrators 25 May 21  2023 python3 ->
> /etc/alternatives/python3
>
> $ alternatives --display python3
> python3 - status is auto.
>   link currently points to /usr/bin/python3.9
> /usr/bin/python3.8 - priority 38
> /usr/bin/python3.9 - priority 39
> Current `best' version is /usr/bin/python3.9.
>
>  From CMD you need to invoke directly the relative python3.9.exe
>
> c:\cygwin64\bin>dir /A /S python3*.*
>   Volume in drive C is OS
>   Volume Serial Number is 2232-4AA9
>
>   Directory of c:\cygwin64\bin
>
> 21/05/2023  20:47                64 python3
> 21/05/2023  20:48                78 python3-config
> 10/03/2023  00:34             3,420 python3.8-config
> 10/03/2023  00:34             9,747 python3.8.exe
> 08/03/2023  23:52             3,048 python3.9-config
> 08/03/2023  23:53             9,747 python3.9.exe
>                 8 File(s)         38,879 bytes

Could the setup.exe Cygwin installer PLEASE get a GUI(!!) option to
install packages using native Windows symlinks? That would fix that
recurring problem.

Aurélien
-- 
Aurélien Couderc <aurelien.couderc2002@gmail.com>
Big Data/Data mining expert, chess enthusiast