Windows, IDLE, __doc_, other

[W. eWatson]

When I use numpy.__doc__ in IDLE under Win XP, I get a heap of words
without reasonable line breaks.

"\nNumPy\n=====\n\nProvides\n 1. An array object of arbitrary
homogeneous items\n 2. Fast mathematical operations over arrays\n 3.
Linear Algebra, Fourier Transforms, Random Number
....

Is there a way to get this formated properly.

If I use dir(numpy), I get yet a very long list that starts as:
['ALLOW_THREADS', 'BUFSIZE', 'CLIP', 'DataSource', 'ERR_CALL',
'ERR_DEFAULT', 'ERR_DEFAULT2', 'ERR_IGNORE', 'ERR_LOG', 'ERR_PRINT',
'ERR_RAISE', 'ERR_WARN', 'FLOATING_POINT_SUPPORT', 'FPE_DIVIDEBYZERO',
'FPE_INVALID', 'FPE_OVERFLOW', 'FPE_UNDERFLOW', 'False_', 'Inf',
'Infinity', 'MAXDIMS', 'MachAr', 'NAN', 'NINF', 'NZERO', 'NaN', 'PINF',
'PZERO', 'PackageLoader', 'RAISE', 'RankWarning', 'SHIFT_DIVIDEBYZERO',
'SHIFT_INVALID', 'SHIFT_OVERFLOW', 'SHIFT_UNDERFLOW', 'ScalarType',
'Tester', 'True_', 'UFUNC_BUFSIZE_DEFAULT'
....
I see this might be a dictionary. What can I do to make it more readable
or useful, or is that it? Is there a more abc as in Linux?

It the IDLE shell, it's not possible to retrieve lines entered earlier
without copying them. Is there an edit facility?

 

[W. eWatson]

Add to this. Isn't there a way to see the arguments and descriptions of
functions?

 

[Lie Ryan]

When I use numpy.__doc__ in IDLE under Win XP, I get a heap of words without reasonable line breaks.

"\nNumPy\n=====\n\nProvides\n 1. An array object of arbitrary homogeneous items\n 2. Fast mathematical operations over arrays\n 3. Linear Algebra, Fourier Transforms, Random Number
....

Is there a way to get this formated properly.
help(object)


If I use dir(numpy), I get yet a very long list that starts as:
['ALLOW_THREADS', 'BUFSIZE', 'CLIP', 'DataSource', 'ERR_CALL', 'ERR_DEFAULT', 'ERR_DEFAULT2', 'ERR_IGNORE', 'ERR_LOG', 'ERR_PRINT', 'ERR_RAISE', 'ERR_WARN', 'FLOATING_POINT_SUPPORT', 'FPE_DIVIDEBYZERO', 'FPE_INVALID', 'FPE_OVERFLOW', 'FPE_UNDERFLOW', 'False_', 'Inf', 'Infinity', 'MAXDIMS', 'MachAr', 'NAN', 'NINF', 'NZERO', 'NaN', 'PINF', 'PZERO', 'PackageLoader', 'RAISE', 'RankWarning', 'SHIFT_DIVIDEBYZERO', 'SHIFT_INVALID', 'SHIFT_OVERFLOW', 'SHIFT_UNDERFLOW', 'ScalarType', 'Tester', 'True_', 'UFUNC_BUFSIZE_DEFAULT'
....
I see this might be a dictionary. What can I do to make it more readable or useful, or is that it? Is there a more abc as in Linux?

You can use pprint module:

import pprint
pprint.pprint(dir(object))

though help() is usually better

It the IDLE shell, it's not possible to retrieve lines entered earlier without copying them. Is there an edit facility?

Press Alt+P (Previous) and Alt+N (Next). Or you can click/select on the
line you want to copy and press Enter.

Use help(). Or if you're doing this without human intervention, use
`inspect` module.

 

[Benjamin Kaplan]

When I use numpy.__doc__ in IDLE under Win XP, I get a heap of words without
reasonable line breaks.

"\nNumPy\n=====\n\nProvides\n  1. An array object of arbitrary homogeneous
items\n  2. Fast mathematical operations over arrays\n  3. Linear Algebra,
Fourier Transforms, Random Number
...

Is there a way to get this formated properly.

when you just doyou get the repr of the string, which uses the escaped characters.
You'd get the same thing in the interactive interpreter. Try using
print if you want to see it correctly.

If I use dir(numpy), I get yet a very long list that starts as:
['ALLOW_THREADS', 'BUFSIZE', 'CLIP', 'DataSource', 'ERR_CALL',
'ERR_DEFAULT', 'ERR_DEFAULT2', 'ERR_IGNORE', 'ERR_LOG', 'ERR_PRINT',
'ERR_RAISE', 'ERR_WARN', 'FLOATING_POINT_SUPPORT', 'FPE_DIVIDEBYZERO',
'FPE_INVALID', 'FPE_OVERFLOW', 'FPE_UNDERFLOW', 'False_', 'Inf', 'Infinity',
'MAXDIMS', 'MachAr', 'NAN', 'NINF', 'NZERO', 'NaN', 'PINF', 'PZERO',
'PackageLoader', 'RAISE', 'RankWarning', 'SHIFT_DIVIDEBYZERO',
'SHIFT_INVALID', 'SHIFT_OVERFLOW', 'SHIFT_UNDERFLOW', 'ScalarType',
'Tester', 'True_', 'UFUNC_BUFSIZE_DEFAULT'
...
I see this might be a dictionary. What can I do to make it more readable or
useful, or is that it? Is there a more abc as in Linux?

It's a list, not a dictionary. pprint.pprint will print 1 item per line.

 

[Alf P. Steinbach]

* W. eWatson:

When I use numpy.__doc__ in IDLE under Win XP, I get a heap of words
without reasonable line breaks.

"\nNumPy\n=====\n\nProvides\n 1. An array object of arbitrary
homogeneous items\n 2. Fast mathematical operations over arrays\n 3.
Linear Algebra, Fourier Transforms, Random Number
...

Is there a way to get this formated properly.

print( numpy.__doc__ )

(For Python 2.x you can and best should leave out the parenthesis)

If I use dir(numpy), I get yet a very long list that starts as:
['ALLOW_THREADS', 'BUFSIZE', 'CLIP', 'DataSource', 'ERR_CALL',
'ERR_DEFAULT', 'ERR_DEFAULT2', 'ERR_IGNORE', 'ERR_LOG', 'ERR_PRINT',
'ERR_RAISE', 'ERR_WARN', 'FLOATING_POINT_SUPPORT', 'FPE_DIVIDEBYZERO',
'FPE_INVALID', 'FPE_OVERFLOW', 'FPE_UNDERFLOW', 'False_', 'Inf',
'Infinity', 'MAXDIMS', 'MachAr', 'NAN', 'NINF', 'NZERO', 'NaN', 'PINF',
'PZERO', 'PackageLoader', 'RAISE', 'RankWarning', 'SHIFT_DIVIDEBYZERO',
'SHIFT_INVALID', 'SHIFT_OVERFLOW', 'SHIFT_UNDERFLOW', 'ScalarType',
'Tester', 'True_', 'UFUNC_BUFSIZE_DEFAULT'
...
I see this might be a dictionary. What can I do to make it more readable
or useful, or is that it? Is there a more abc as in Linux?

Something like (off the cuff, fix if eroRs!)

for name in dir[numpy]:
if name.startswith( "_" ):
pass
else:
doc_lines = getattr( numpy, name ).__doc__.split()
print( format( "{0:25} {1}".format( name, doc_lines[0] ) )

Should ideally work whether you use Python 2.x or 3.x.

But as mentioned I just typed that in so there may be eroRs.

It the IDLE shell, it's not possible to retrieve lines entered earlier
without copying them. Is there an edit facility?

I suggest you download a programmers' editor (like Notepad++ or PsPad) for
programming work and use the basic Python interpreter for interactive work. The
basic interpreter lives in a standard Window console window where you can use up
and down arrow keys, F8 completion, F7 for list of earlier commands, etc (as
documented by the doskey command in the Windows command interpreter). Just
forget IDLE in windows: while Windows console windows are something from the
middle ages, IDLE seems to stem from a period before that! <g>


Cheers & hth.,

- Alf

PS: Shameless plug: take a look at <url: http://tinyurl.com/programmingbookP3>,
it's for Windows.

 

[Alf P. Steinbach]

* Alf P. Steinbach:

* W. eWatson:

When I use numpy.__doc__ in IDLE under Win XP, I get a heap of words
without reasonable line breaks.

"\nNumPy\n=====\n\nProvides\n 1. An array object of arbitrary
homogeneous items\n 2. Fast mathematical operations over arrays\n 3.
Linear Algebra, Fourier Transforms, Random Number
...

Is there a way to get this formated properly.

print( numpy.__doc__ )

(For Python 2.x you can and best should leave out the parenthesis)

If I use dir(numpy), I get yet a very long list that starts as:
['ALLOW_THREADS', 'BUFSIZE', 'CLIP', 'DataSource', 'ERR_CALL',
'ERR_DEFAULT', 'ERR_DEFAULT2', 'ERR_IGNORE', 'ERR_LOG', 'ERR_PRINT',
'ERR_RAISE', 'ERR_WARN', 'FLOATING_POINT_SUPPORT', 'FPE_DIVIDEBYZERO',
'FPE_INVALID', 'FPE_OVERFLOW', 'FPE_UNDERFLOW', 'False_', 'Inf',
'Infinity', 'MAXDIMS', 'MachAr', 'NAN', 'NINF', 'NZERO', 'NaN',
'PINF', 'PZERO', 'PackageLoader', 'RAISE', 'RankWarning',
'SHIFT_DIVIDEBYZERO', 'SHIFT_INVALID', 'SHIFT_OVERFLOW',
'SHIFT_UNDERFLOW', 'ScalarType', 'Tester', 'True_',
'UFUNC_BUFSIZE_DEFAULT'
...
I see this might be a dictionary. What can I do to make it more
readable or useful, or is that it? Is there a more abc as in Linux?

Something like (off the cuff, fix if eroRs!)

for name in dir[numpy]:
if name.startswith( "_" ):
pass
else:
doc_lines = getattr( numpy, name ).__doc__.split()

Uh oh, 'splitlines' not 'split' !

print( format( "{0:25} {1}".format( name, doc_lines[0] ) )

Should ideally work whether you use Python 2.x or 3.x.

But as mentioned I just typed that in so there may be eroRs.

It the IDLE shell, it's not possible to retrieve lines entered earlier
without copying them. Is there an edit facility?

I suggest you download a programmers' editor (like Notepad++ or PsPad)
for programming work and use the basic Python interpreter for
interactive work. The basic interpreter lives in a standard Window
console window where you can use up and down arrow keys, F8 completion,
F7 for list of earlier commands, etc (as documented by the doskey
command in the Windows command interpreter). Just forget IDLE in
windows: while Windows console windows are something from the middle
ages, IDLE seems to stem from a period before that! <g>


Cheers & hth.,

- Alf

PS: Shameless plug: take a look at <url:
http://tinyurl.com/programmingbookP3>, it's for Windows.

 

[W. eWatson]

When I use numpy.__doc__ in IDLE under Win XP, I get a heap of words
without reasonable line breaks.

"\nNumPy\n=====\n\nProvides\n 1. An array object of arbitrary
homogeneous items\n 2. Fast mathematical operations over arrays\n 3.
Linear Algebra, Fourier Transforms, Random Number
....

Is there a way to get this formated properly.
help(object)


If I use dir(numpy), I get yet a very long list that starts as:
['ALLOW_THREADS', 'BUFSIZE', 'CLIP', 'DataSource', 'ERR_CALL',
'ERR_DEFAULT', 'ERR_DEFAULT2', 'ERR_IGNORE', 'ERR_LOG', 'ERR_PRINT',
'ERR_RAISE', 'ERR_WARN', 'FLOATING_POINT_SUPPORT', 'FPE_DIVIDEBYZERO',
'FPE_INVALID', 'FPE_OVERFLOW', 'FPE_UNDERFLOW', 'False_', 'Inf',
'Infinity', 'MAXDIMS', 'MachAr', 'NAN', 'NINF', 'NZERO', 'NaN',
'PINF', 'PZERO', 'PackageLoader', 'RAISE', 'RankWarning',
'SHIFT_DIVIDEBYZERO', 'SHIFT_INVALID', 'SHIFT_OVERFLOW',
'SHIFT_UNDERFLOW', 'ScalarType', 'Tester', 'True_',
'UFUNC_BUFSIZE_DEFAULT'
....
I see this might be a dictionary. What can I do to make it more
readable or useful, or is that it? Is there a more abc as in Linux?

You can use pprint module:

import pprint
pprint.pprint(dir(object))

though help() is usually better

It the IDLE shell, it's not possible to retrieve lines entered earlier
without copying them. Is there an edit facility?

Press Alt+P (Previous) and Alt+N (Next). Or you can click/select on the
line you want to copy and press Enter.

Use help(). Or if you're doing this without human intervention, use
`inspect` module.

Wow, did I get a bad result. I hit Ctrl-P, I think instead of Alt-P, and
a little window came up showing it was about to print hundreds of pages.
I can canceled it, but too late. I turned off my printer quickly and
eventually stopped the onslaught.

I couldn't get Alt-P or N to work.

Another question. In interactive mode, how does one know what modules
are active? Is there a way to list them with a simple command?

 

[Lie Ryan]

Wow, did I get a bad result. I hit Ctrl-P, I think instead of Alt-P, and
a little window came up showing it was about to print hundreds of pages.
I can canceled it, but too late. I turned off my printer quickly and
eventually stopped the onslaught.

I couldn't get Alt-P or N to work.

Another question. In interactive mode, how does one know what modules
are active? Is there a way to list them with a simple command?

What do you mean by "active"? All loaded modules, whether it is in your
namespace or not? Then sys.modules.
Else if you want all names in your namespace, dir() would do, though
it'll show other things as well.

 

[W. eWatson]

What do you mean by "active"? All loaded modules, whether it is in your
namespace or not? Then sys.modules.
Else if you want all names in your namespace, dir() would do, though
it'll show other things as well.

Let's forget active. Isn't it true that math is automatically available
to every module? From help(math):
================
Help on built-in module math:

NAME
math

FILE
(built-in)

DESCRIPTION
This module is always available. It provides access to the
mathematical functions defined by the C standard.
=================
So why do I need math.cos(...)? This is got to be some namespace issue.

Maybe the help is incorrect. I have:['ArithmeticError', 'AssertionError', 'AttributeError', 'BaseException',
'DeprecationWarning', 'EOFError', 'Ellipsis', 'EnvironmentError',
'Exception', 'False', 'FloatingPointError', 'FutureWarning',
'GeneratorExit', 'IOError', 'ImportError', 'ImportWarning',
'IndentationError', 'IndexError', 'KeyError', 'KeyboardInterrupt',
'LookupError', 'MemoryError', 'NameError', 'None', 'NotImplemented',
'NotImplementedError', 'OSError', 'OverflowError',
'PendingDeprecationWarning', 'ReferenceError', 'RuntimeError',
'RuntimeWarning', 'StandardError', 'StopIteration', 'SyntaxError',
'SyntaxWarning', 'SystemError', 'SystemExit', 'TabError', 'True',
'TypeError', 'UnboundLocalError', 'UnicodeDecodeError',
'UnicodeEncodeError', 'UnicodeError', 'UnicodeTranslateError',
'UnicodeWarning', 'UserWarning', 'ValueError', 'Warning',
'WindowsError', 'ZeroDivisionError', '_', '__debug__', '__doc__',
'__import__', '__name__', 'abs', 'all', 'any', 'apply', 'basestring',
'bool', 'buffer', 'callable', 'chr', 'classmethod', 'cmp', 'coerce',
'compile', 'complex', 'copyright', 'credits', 'delattr', 'dict', 'dir',
'divmod', 'enumerate', 'eval', 'execfile', 'exit', 'file', 'filter',
'float', 'frozenset', 'getattr', 'globals', 'hasattr', 'hash', 'help',
'hex', 'id', 'input', 'int', 'intern', 'isinstance', 'issubclass',
'iter', 'len', 'license', 'list', 'locals', 'long', 'map', 'max', 'min',
'object', 'oct', 'open', 'ord', 'pow', 'property', 'quit', 'range',
'raw_input', 'reduce', 'reload', 'repr', 'reversed', 'round', 'set',
'setattr', 'slice', 'sorted', 'staticmethod', 'str', 'sum', 'super',
'tuple', 'type', 'unichr', 'unicode', 'vars', 'xrange', 'zip']

 

[Stephen Hansen]

Let's forget active. Isn't it true that math is automatically available to
every module? From help(math):

No, its not true. A built-in module does not mean its available
everywhere. It means its built into Python itself-- e.g., its directly
linked into the python dll and not a separate file (like most of the
the standard library).

Lots of modules are built-in, but they don't pollute the __builtins__
/ universal namespace. You import them to access them. If you want you
can "from math import *" if you want the math module to fill out your
module namespace (I don't recommend *'s personally, its better to
import symbols explicitly by name)

--S

 

[W. eWatson]

No, its not true. A built-in module does not mean its available
everywhere. It means its built into Python itself-- e.g., its directly
linked into the python dll and not a separate file (like most of the
the standard library).

Lots of modules are built-in, but they don't pollute the __builtins__
/ universal namespace. You import them to access them. If you want you
can "from math import *" if you want the math module to fill out your
module namespace (I don't recommend *'s personally, its better to
import symbols explicitly by name)

--S

This has got to be some sort of IDLE issue then. When I run a simple
program. If I open this program in the IDLE editor:
#import math
print "hello, math world."
print cos(0.5)
print sin(0.8)

then I get
print cos(0.5)
NameError: name 'cos' is not defined

OK, >>> dir()
['__builtins__', '__doc__', '__file__', '__name__', 'idlelib']

Fine. I now change the code to include import mat get the same:
print cos(0.5)
NameError: name 'cos' is not defined

Now, >>> dir()
['__builtins__', '__doc__', '__file__', '__name__', 'idlelib', 'math']math is now available. so I change cos(0.5) to math.cos(0.5) and get
print sin(0.8)
NameError: name 'sin' is not defined
Fine, it needs math.
dir() is the same.

Now, I go to the script and enter
from math import *
dir is now bulked up with the math functions. I change back math.cos to
cos and the program runs well.

This sort of figures. Apparently, I've added to the namespace by
importing with *.

My point is that I'm betting different results. OK, fine. It appears the
same thing happens with I modify the program itself with from math import *

So IDLE is not clearing the namespace each time I *run* the program.
This is not good. I've been fooled. So how do I either clear the
namespace before each Run? Do I have to open the file in the editor
again each time before trying to Run it? I hope there's a better way.

 

[Stephen Hansen]

This has got to be some sort of IDLE issue then.

Huh? How do you figure?

When I run a simple
program. If I open this program in the IDLE editor:
#import math
print "hello, math world."
print cos(0.5)
print sin(0.8)

then I get
   print cos(0.5)
NameError: name 'cos' is not defined

Of course, because -- cos is not defined. As I stated in my previous
email, "math" has to be imported to be used.

OK, >>> dir()
['__builtins__', '__doc__', '__file__', '__name__', 'idlelib']

Fine. I now change the code to include import mat get the same:
   print cos(0.5)
NameError: name 'cos' is not defined

Yes, because cos is inside math.

[snip

Now, I go to the script and enter
from math import *
dir is now bulked up with the math functions. I change back math.cos to cos
and the program runs well.

This sort of figures. Apparently, I've added to the namespace by importing
with *.

Apparently? -- you precisely and explicitly added every object in
'math' to your current namespace. "from math import *" does precisely
that.

My point is that I'm betting different results. OK, fine. It appears the
same thing happens with I modify the program itself with from math import *

Different results? What different results are you talking about?

If you want to access 'sin' without 'math.', you'll have to do 'from
math import *' in each file where you want to do that.

So IDLE is not clearing the namespace each time I *run* the program. This is
not good. I've been fooled. So how do I either clear the namespace before
each Run? Do I have to open the file in the editor again each time before
trying to Run it? I hope there's a better way.

How do you figure its 'not clearing the namespace'? In which
namespace? I fire up IDLE, and start a new file, and put in a single
line: "a = 1". I choose Run Module, and it runs it. I verify in the
interactive interpreter that a is 1. I then change that file to "a = a
+ 1", and run it. Now, it errors out-- of course-- because IDLE
"cleared" the namespace and re-ran the module.

It says in the interpreter its restarting, even.

--S

 

[W. eWatson]

This has got to be some sort of IDLE issue then.

Huh? How do you figure?

When I run a simple
program. If I open this program in the IDLE editor:
#import math
print "hello, math world."
print cos(0.5)
print sin(0.8)

then I get
print cos(0.5)
NameError: name 'cos' is not defined

Of course, because -- cos is not defined. As I stated in my previous
email, "math" has to be imported to be used. Yes, I agree.

OK, >>> dir()
['__builtins__', '__doc__', '__file__', '__name__', 'idlelib']

Fine. I now change the code to include import mat get the same:
print cos(0.5)
NameError: name 'cos' is not defined

Yes, because cos is inside math. True enough. Hang in there.

[snip

Now, I go to the script and enter
from math import *
dir is now bulked up with the math functions. I change back math.cos to cos
and the program runs well.

This sort of figures. Apparently, I've added to the namespace by importing
with *.

Apparently? -- you precisely and explicitly added every object in
'math' to your current namespace. "from math import *" does precisely
that.

Well, it's a big surprise to me, because I thought each time I ran from
the editor that it reloaded the modules in my imports, and cleared out
any it didn't find.

Different results? What different results are you talking about?

It seems to me as I fool around with interpreter under the script
window, I"m creating a mess out of the namespace the program uses, and
the program responds incorrectly.

If you want to access 'sin' without 'math.', you'll have to do 'from
math import *' in each file where you want to do that.


How do you figure its 'not clearing the namespace'? In which
namespace? I fire up IDLE, and start a new file, and put in a single

Try this sequence.
I just started plugging away again with IDLE and am pretty convinced
that IDLE is something of an enemy. I started afresh loading this into
the editor:

import math
print "hello, math world."
print math.cos(0.5)
print math.sin(0.8)


Run works fine. No errors. Now I do:

>>> dir() ['__builtins__', '__doc__', '__file__', '__name__', 'idlelib', 'math']
>>> OK, swell. Now I import via the script window
>>> import numpy as np
>>> dir()

['__builtins__', '__doc__', '__file__', '__name__', 'idlelib', 'math', 'np']

I think I'm adding to the namespace, both the program the shell sees,
because adding this ref to np in the program works fine.

import math
print "hello, math world."
print math.cos(0.5)
print math.sin(0.8)
print np.sin(2.2) <<<<-------

There's no np in that code, but yet it works. It must be in the
namespace it sees, and it was put there through the interactive shell.

line: "a = 1". I choose Run Module, and it runs it. I verify in the
interactive interpreter that a is 1. I then change that file to "a = a
+ 1", and run it. Now, it errors out-- of course-- because IDLE
"cleared" the namespace and re-ran the module.

Hmmm, that appears to contrary to my numpy experience. I've never seen
any re-starting msg.
Python 2.5.2 (r252:60911, Feb 21 2008, 13:11:45) [MSC v.1310 32 bit
(Intel)] on win32
Type "copyright", "credits" or "license()" for more information.

 

[Lie Ryan]

[snip

Now, I go to the script and enter
from math import *
dir is now bulked up with the math functions. I change back math.cos
to cos
and the program runs well.

This sort of figures. Apparently, I've added to the namespace by
importing
with *.

Apparently? -- you precisely and explicitly added every object in
'math' to your current namespace. "from math import *" does precisely
that.

Well, it's a big surprise to me, because I thought each time I ran from
the editor that it reloaded the modules in my imports, and cleared out
any it didn't find.
>

Different results? What different results are you talking about?

>
It seems to me as I fool around with interpreter under the script
window, I"m creating a mess out of the namespace the program uses, and
the program responds incorrectly.

After a script's execution, IDLE's shell namespace uses the last
scripts's namespace; this is similar to using the -i switch in the terminal:
$ python -i myscript.py
program output
this is often useful for debugging

If you want to access 'sin' without 'math.', you'll have to do 'from
math import *' in each file where you want to do that.


How do you figure its 'not clearing the namespace'? In which
namespace? I fire up IDLE, and start a new file, and put in a single

Try this sequence.
I just started plugging away again with IDLE and am pretty convinced
that IDLE is something of an enemy. I started afresh loading this into
the editor:

import math
print "hello, math world."
print math.cos(0.5)
print math.sin(0.8)


Run works fine. No errors. Now I do:

dir() ['__builtins__', '__doc__', '__file__', '__name__', 'idlelib', 'math']
OK, swell. Now I import via the script window
import numpy as np
dir()

['__builtins__', '__doc__', '__file__', '__name__', 'idlelib', 'math',
'np']

I think I'm adding to the namespace, both the program the shell sees,
because adding this ref to np in the program works fine.

import math
print "hello, math world."
print math.cos(0.5)
print math.sin(0.8)
print np.sin(2.2) <<<<-------

There's no np in that code, but yet it works. It must be in the
namespace it sees, and it was put there through the interactive shell.

You must be starting IDLE without subprocess. Did you see this message

IDLE 2.6.1 ==== No Subprocess ====

when starting IDLE.

If you're on Windows, don't use the "Edit with IDLE" right-click hotkey
since that starts IDLE without subprocess. Use the shortcut installed in
your Start menu.

line: "a = 1". I choose Run Module, and it runs it. I verify in the
interactive interpreter that a is 1. I then change that file to "a = a
+ 1", and run it. Now, it errors out-- of course-- because IDLE
"cleared" the namespace and re-ran the module.

Hmmm, that appears to contrary to my numpy experience. I've never seen
any re-starting msg.
Python 2.5.2 (r252:60911, Feb 21 2008, 13:11:45) [MSC v.1310 32 bit
(Intel)] on win32
Type "copyright", "credits" or "license()" for more information.

That is irrelevant with numpy. If you start IDLE with subprocess, then
every time before you run a script this message appears:

PS: you can force IDLE to restart the subprocess with Ctrl+F6

When IDLE is not run with subprocess, running a script is equivalent to
copy and pasteing the script to the shell.

 

[W. eWatson]

I suggest you download a programmers' editor (like Notepad++ or PsPad)
for programming work and use the basic Python interpreter for
interactive work. The basic interpreter lives in a standard Window
console window where you can use up and down arrow keys, F8 completion,
F7 for list of earlier commands, etc (as documented by the doskey
command in the Windows command interpreter). Just forget IDLE in
windows: while Windows console windows are something from the middle
ages, IDLE seems to stem from a period before that! <g>


Cheers & hth.,

- Alf

PS: Shameless plug: take a look at <url:
http://tinyurl.com/programmingbookP3>, it's for Windows.

I just downloaded the three files. It looks useful. I take it you are
the author?

 

[W. eWatson]

On 12/22/2009 12:06 PM, W. eWatson wrote: ....
You must be starting IDLE without subprocess. Did you see this message

IDLE 2.6.1 ==== No Subprocess ====

when starting IDLE.

Yes, I usually start in a folder where I have my py program files, and
do a right-click for IDLE edit.

If you're on Windows, don't use the "Edit with IDLE" right-click hotkey
since that starts IDLE without subprocess. Use the shortcut installed in
your Start menu.

When I go to Start and select IDLE, Saves or Opens want to go into
C:/Python25. I have to motor over to my folder where I keep the source
code. The code is in a folder about 4 levels below the top. That's a bit
awkward.
What do subprocesses mean in this context? Why do I need them?

line: "a = 1". I choose Run Module, and it runs it. I verify in the
interactive interpreter that a is 1. I then change that file to "a = a
+ 1", and run it. Now, it errors out-- of course-- because IDLE
"cleared" the namespace and re-ran the module.

Hmmm, that appears to contrary to my numpy experience. I've never seen
any re-starting msg.
Python 2.5.2 (r252:60911, Feb 21 2008, 13:11:45) [MSC v.1310 32 bit
(Intel)] on win32
Type "copyright", "credits" or "license()" for more information.

That is irrelevant with numpy. If you start IDLE with subprocess, then
every time before you run a script this message appears:

PS: you can force IDLE to restart the subprocess with Ctrl+F6

When IDLE is not run with subprocess, running a script is equivalent to
copy and pasteing the script to the shell.

I just tried Ctrl+F6 on both the shell and script window. Nothing
happened. Does that occur only if I fired up Python from Start?
Does a restart clear out the namespace?

 

[Lie Ryan]

When I go to Start and select IDLE, Saves or Opens want to go into
C:/Python25. I have to motor over to my folder where I keep the source
code. The code is in a folder about 4 levels below the top. That's a bit
awkward.

I agree the "Edit in IDLE" not using subprocess is annoying. I
personally considers this a bug in IDLE; I don't know whether there is
any technical limitation why the "Edit with IDLE" submenu can't start
python with subprocess, perhaps someone else can point something out.

What do subprocesses mean in this context? Why do I need them?

IDLE is written in python; when IDLE executes without subprocess, it
will use IDLE's instance of the python.exe process to execute your
script. That means you share the python.exe interpreter with IDLE itself.

When IDLE is started properly with subprocess, IDLE will fork a new
python.exe subprocess to run your program.

I just tried Ctrl+F6 on both the shell and script window. Nothing
happened. Does that occur only if I fired up Python from Start?
Yes.

Does a restart clear out the namespace?

Yes it will, occasional restart will be useful if you write from the
"Edit with IDLE" menu.

 

[W. eWatson]

Is there a way to go directly to the folder I normally work in?

 

[Lie Ryan]

Is there a way to go directly to the folder I normally work in?

These are the various "workarounds", I've used or heard:

1. Open using "Edit in IDLE", close it; then open IDLE properly from
Start Menu and open your file from the list of "Recent files"
2. Shift-RightClick on the folder, get to "Open Command Window Here".
Use python interpreter from there to execute "python -m idlelib.idle
myfile.py".
3. create a .bat or shortcut file in your working directory to start IDLE
4. [GENERIC WARNING: Editing registry may damage your system] [SPECIFIC
WARNING: There must be a reason the IDLE devs put the -n flag on the
context menu, I'm not fully aware of the complications, and I disclaim
myself from any damage that may be caused] Open Registry Editor, browse
to these:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.File\shell\Edit with IDLE\command
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Python.NoConFile\shell\Edit with IDLE\command
and remove the -n flag from the commands