Ways to invoke python and Spyder on OSX

To make spyder callable from Spotlight or Finder:

1. Locate where your spyder executable is by running in Terminal:

   which spyder
   

   This should yield ~/anaconda/bin/spyder if you installed spyder via Anaconda, /opt/local/bin/spyder if you used MacPorts or something similar.

2. Create a file called spyder in your Applications directory and make it executable. Then, fill it with the output of the previous command, followed by a &; exit:

   touch /Applications/spyder
   chmod +x /Applications/spyder
   echo -e '#!/bin/bash'"\n~/anaconda/bin/spyder &\nexit" >> /Applications/spyder
   

   (if you use a different shell (e.g. tcsh), replace bash by that)

3. Under Terminal -> Preferences -> Profiles -> “default profile” -> Shell -> When the shell exits: Select “Close if the shell exited cleanly”

Optional:

4. Download the spyder Icon from here and open it in Preview. Copy its contents by hitting cmd+C.

5. In Finder, locate /Applications/spyder and open its “Get Info” pane by hitting cmd+I. Select the icon in the top left corner with your mouse and hit cmd+V.