title: Python 3.6 in Visual Studio 2017 How to Run Program in the Interactive Shell
body: <p>I downloaded and installed Visual Studio along with Anaconda to get access to all of the packages that come pre installed with Anaconda. I am trying to figure out how to run code such that it runs in the interactive shell. Right now when I hit F5 an Anaconda 3 cmd line window comes up with the prompt "Press any key to continue..." comes up.  My question is: how can I make it so that when I hit F5 my code is executed in the interactive Python shell much like it does on the basic IDLE that comes with Python.</p>
  
  <p>This seems like a question that a simple Google Search could fix, but for some reason I cannot find the answer. I've done some google searching, and I watched the Visual Studio python official Microsoft series about it. One of the videos touched on using the interactive shell, but even in the video, when he clicked the Start (Run) button, the code ran in what looked like the command line.</p>
  
  <p>I have used IDLE in the past, and now I think it is time to make the change to a bigger IDE. I love the code completion and templates of visual studio, and I can't wait to solve this (noob) question.</p>
  
  <p>Thanks</p>