your local Python guru or system administrator. (E.g.,
\file{/usr/local/python} is a popular alternative location.)
-Typing an EOF character (Control-D on \UNIX{}, Control-Z on DOS
-or Windows) at the primary prompt causes the interpreter to exit with
-a zero exit status. If that doesn't work, you can exit the
-interpreter by typing the following commands: \samp{import sys;
-sys.exit()}.
+Typing an \EOF{} character (\kbd{Control-D} on \UNIX,
+\kbd{Control-Z} on DOS or Windows) at the primary prompt causes the
+interpreter to exit with a zero exit status. If that doesn't work,
+you can exit the interpreter by typing the following commands:
+\samp{import sys; sys.exit()}.
The interpreter's line-editing features usually aren't very
sophisticated. On \UNIX{}, whoever installed the interpreter may have
elaborate interactive editing and history features. Perhaps the
quickest check to see whether command line editing is supported is
typing Control-P to the first Python prompt you get. If it beeps, you
-have command line editing; see Appendix A for an introduction to the
-keys. If nothing appears to happen, or if \code{\^P} is echoed,
-command line editing isn't available; you'll only be able to use
-backspace to remove characters from the current line.
+have command line editing; see Appendix \ref{interacting} for an
+introduction to the keys. If nothing appears to happen, or if
+\code{\^P} is echoed, command line editing isn't available; you'll
+only be able to use backspace to remove characters from the current
+line.
The interpreter operates somewhat like the \UNIX{} shell: when called
with standard input connected to a tty device, it reads and executes
If you want to read an additional start-up file from the current
directory, you can program this in the global start-up file,
-e.g.\ \samp{execfile('.pythonrc.py')}\indexii{.pythonrc.py}{file}. If
-you want to use the startup file in a script, you must do this
-explicitly in the script:
+e.g.\ \samp{if os.path.isfile('.pythonrc.py'):
+execfile('.pythonrc.py')}. If you want to use the startup file in a
+script, you must do this explicitly in the script:
\begin{verbatim}
import os
-if os.environ.get('PYTHONSTARTUP') \
- and os.path.isfile(os.environ['PYTHONSTARTUP']):
- execfile(os.environ['PYTHONSTARTUP'])
+filename = os.environ.get('PYTHONSTARTUP')
+if filename and os.path.isfile(filename):
+ execfile(filename)
\end{verbatim}
If supported, input line editing is active whenever the interpreter
prints a primary or secondary prompt. The current line can be edited
using the conventional Emacs control characters. The most important
-of these are: C-A (Control-A) moves the cursor to the beginning of the
-line, C-E to the end, C-B moves it one position to the left, C-F to
-the right. Backspace erases the character to the left of the cursor,
-C-D the character to its right. C-K kills (erases) the rest of the
-line to the right of the cursor, C-Y yanks back the last killed
-string. C-underscore undoes the last change you made; it can be
-repeated for cumulative effect.
+of these are: \kbd{C-A} (Control-A) moves the cursor to the beginning
+of the line, \kbd{C-E} to the end, \kbd{C-B} moves it one position to
+the left, \kbd{C-F} to the right. Backspace erases the character to
+the left of the cursor, \kbd{C-D} the character to its right.
+\kbd{C-K} kills (erases) the rest of the line to the right of the
+cursor, \kbd{C-Y} yanks back the last killed string.
+\kbd{C-underscore} undoes the last change you made; it can be repeated
+for cumulative effect.
\section{History Substitution \label{history}}
History substitution works as follows. All non-empty input lines
issued are saved in a history buffer, and when a new prompt is given
-you are positioned on a new line at the bottom of this buffer. C-P
-moves one line up (back) in the history buffer, C-N moves one down.
-Any line in the history buffer can be edited; an asterisk appears in
-front of the prompt to mark a line as modified. Pressing the Return
-key passes the current line to the interpreter. C-R starts an
-incremental reverse search; C-S starts a forward search.
+you are positioned on a new line at the bottom of this buffer.
+\kbd{C-P} moves one line up (back) in the history buffer,
+\kbd{C-N} moves one down. Any line in the history buffer can be
+edited; an asterisk appears in front of the prompt to mark a line as
+modified. Pressing the \kbd{Return} key passes the current line to
+the interpreter. \kbd{C-R} starts an incremental reverse search;
+\kbd{C-S} starts a forward search.
\section{Key Bindings \label{keyBindings}}
The key bindings and some other parameters of the Readline library can
be customized by placing commands in an initialization file called
-\file{\$HOME/.inputrc}. Key bindings have the form
+\file{\~{}/.inputrc}. Key bindings have the form
\begin{verbatim}
key-name: function-name
\begin{verbatim}
# I prefer vi-style editing:
set editing-mode vi
+
# Edit using a single line:
set horizontal-scroll-mode On
+
# Rebind some keys:
Meta-h: backward-kill-word
"\C-u": universal-argument
"\C-x\C-r": re-read-init-file
\end{verbatim}
-Note that the default binding for TAB in Python is to insert a TAB
-instead of Readline's default filename completion function. If you
-insist, you can override this by putting
+Note that the default binding for \kbd{Tab} in Python is to insert a
+\kbd{Tab} character instead of Readline's default filename completion
+function. If you insist, you can override this by putting
\begin{verbatim}
-TAB: complete
+Tab: complete
\end{verbatim}
-in your \file{\$HOME/.inputrc}. (Of course, this makes it hard to type
-indented continuation lines...)
+in your \file{\~{}/.inputrc}. (Of course, this makes it harder to
+type indented continuation lines.)
Automatic completion of variable and module names is optionally
available. To enable it in the interpreter's interactive mode, add
-the following to your \file{\$HOME/.pythonrc.py} file:%
-\indexii{.pythonrc.py}{file}
+the following to your startup file:\footnote{
+ Python will execute the contents of a file identified by the
+ \envvar{PYTHONSTARTUP} environment variable when you start an
+ interactive interpreter.}
\refstmodindex{rlcompleter}\refbimodindex{readline}
\begin{verbatim}
\section{Commentary \label{commentary}}
-This facility is an enormous step forward compared to previous
-versions of the interpreter; however, some wishes are left: It would
-be nice if the proper indentation were suggested on continuation lines
-(the parser knows if an indent token is required next). The
-completion mechanism might use the interpreter's symbol table. A
-command to check (or even suggest) matching parentheses, quotes etc.
-would also be useful.
+This facility is an enormous step forward compared to earlier versions
+of the interpreter; however, some wishes are left: It would be nice if
+the proper indentation were suggested on continuation lines (the
+parser knows if an indent token is required next). The completion
+mechanism might use the interpreter's symbol table. A command to
+check (or even suggest) matching parentheses, quotes, etc., would also
+be useful.
-% XXX Lele Gaifax's readline module, which adds name completion...
\end{document}
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