Current File : //opt/alt/python35/lib64/python3.5/idlelib/help.txt
This file, idlelib/help.txt is out-of-date and no longer used by Idle.
It is deprecated and will be removed in the future, possibly in 3.6
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[See the end of this file for ** TIPS ** on using IDLE !!]
IDLE is the Python IDE built with the tkinter GUI toolkit.
IDLE has the following features:
-coded in 100% pure Python, using the tkinter GUI toolkit
-cross-platform: works on Windows, Unix, and OS X
-multi-window text editor with multiple undo, Python colorizing, smart indent,
call tips, and many other features
-Python shell window (a.k.a interactive interpreter)
-debugger (not complete, but you can set breakpoints, view and step)
Menus:
IDLE has two window types the Shell window and the Editor window. It is
possible to have multiple editor windows simultaneously. IDLE's
menus dynamically change based on which window is currently selected. Each menu
documented below indicates which window type it is associated with.
File Menu (Shell and Editor):
New File -- Create a new file editing window
Open... -- Open an existing file
Open Module... -- Open an existing module (searches sys.path)
Recent Files... -- Open a list of recent files
Class Browser -- Show classes and methods in current file
Path Browser -- Show sys.path directories, modules, classes,
and methods
---
Save -- Save current window to the associated file (unsaved
windows have a * before and after the window title)
Save As... -- Save current window to new file, which becomes
the associated file
Save Copy As... -- Save current window to different file
without changing the associated file
---
Print Window -- Print the current window
---
Close -- Close current window (asks to save if unsaved)
Exit -- Close all windows, quit (asks to save if unsaved)
Edit Menu (Shell and Editor):
Undo -- Undo last change to current window
(a maximum of 1000 changes may be undone)
Redo -- Redo last undone change to current window
---
Cut -- Copy a selection into system-wide clipboard,
then delete the selection
Copy -- Copy selection into system-wide clipboard
Paste -- Insert system-wide clipboard into window
Select All -- Select the entire contents of the edit buffer
---
Find... -- Open a search dialog box with many options
Find Again -- Repeat last search
Find Selection -- Search for the string in the selection
Find in Files... -- Open a search dialog box for searching files
Replace... -- Open a search-and-replace dialog box
Go to Line -- Ask for a line number and show that line
Expand Word -- Expand the word you have typed to match another
word in the same buffer; repeat to get a
different expansion
Show Calltip -- After an unclosed parenthesis for a function, open
a small window with function parameter hints
Show Parens -- Highlight the surrounding parenthesis
Show Completions -- Open a scroll window allowing selection keywords
and attributes. (see '*TIPS*', below)
Format Menu (Editor window only):
Indent Region -- Shift selected lines right by the indent width
(default 4 spaces)
Dedent Region -- Shift selected lines left by the indent width
(default 4 spaces)
Comment Out Region -- Insert ## in front of selected lines
Uncomment Region -- Remove leading # or ## from selected lines
Tabify Region -- Turns *leading* stretches of spaces into tabs.
(Note: We recommend using 4 space blocks to indent Python code.)
Untabify Region -- Turn *all* tabs into the corrent number of spaces
Toggle tabs -- Open a dialog to switch between indenting with
spaces and tabs.
New Indent Width... -- Open a dialog to change indent width. The
accepted default by the Python community is 4
spaces.
Format Paragraph -- Reformat the current blank-line-separated
paragraph. All lines in the paragraph will be
formatted to less than 80 columns.
---
Strip trailing whitespace -- Removed any space characters after the end
of the last non-space character
Run Menu (Editor window only):
Python Shell -- Open or wake up the Python shell window
---
Check Module -- Check the syntax of the module currently open in the
Editor window. If the module has not been saved IDLE
will prompt the user to save the code.
Run Module -- Restart the shell to clean the environment, then
execute the currently open module. If the module has
not been saved IDLE will prompt the user to save the
code.
Shell Menu (Shell window only):
View Last Restart -- Scroll the shell window to the last Shell restart
Restart Shell -- Restart the shell to clean the environment
Debug Menu (Shell window only):
Go to File/Line -- Look around the insert point for a filename
and line number, open the file, and show the line.
Useful to view the source lines referenced in an
exception traceback. Available in the context
menu of the Shell window.
Debugger (toggle) -- This feature is not complete and considered
experimental. Run commands in the shell under the
debugger.
Stack Viewer -- Show the stack traceback of the last exception
Auto-open Stack Viewer (toggle) -- Toggle automatically opening the
stack viewer on unhandled
exception
Options Menu (Shell and Editor):
Configure IDLE -- Open a configuration dialog. Fonts, indentation,
keybindings, and color themes may be altered.
Startup Preferences may be set, and additional Help
sources can be specified. On OS X, open the
configuration dialog by selecting Preferences
in the application menu.
---
Code Context (toggle) -- Open a pane at the top of the edit window
which shows the block context of the section
of code which is scrolling off the top or the
window. This is not present in the Shell
window only the Editor window.
Window Menu (Shell and Editor):
Zoom Height -- Toggles the window between normal size (40x80 initial
setting) and maximum height. The initial size is in the Configure
IDLE dialog under the general tab.
---
The rest of this menu lists the names of all open windows;
select one to bring it to the foreground (deiconifying it if
necessary).
Help Menu:
About IDLE -- Version, copyright, license, credits
---
IDLE Help -- Display this file which is a help file for IDLE
detailing the menu options, basic editing and navigation,
and other tips.
Python Docs -- Access local Python documentation, if
installed. Or will start a web browser and open
docs.python.org showing the latest Python documentation.
---
Additional help sources may be added here with the Configure IDLE
dialog under the General tab.
Editor context menu (Right-click / Control-click on OS X in Edit window):
Cut -- Copy a selection into system-wide clipboard,
then delete the selection
Copy -- Copy selection into system-wide clipboard
Paste -- Insert system-wide clipboard into window
Set Breakpoint -- Sets a breakpoint. Breakpoints are only enabled
when the debugger is open.
Clear Breakpoint -- Clears the breakpoint on that line
Shell context menu (Right-click / Control-click on OS X in Shell window):
Cut -- Copy a selection into system-wide clipboard,
then delete the selection
Copy -- Copy selection into system-wide clipboard
Paste -- Insert system-wide clipboard into window
---
Go to file/line -- Same as in Debug menu
** TIPS **
==========
Additional Help Sources:
Windows users can Google on zopeshelf.chm to access Zope help files in
the Windows help format. The Additional Help Sources feature of the
configuration GUI supports .chm, along with any other filetypes
supported by your browser. Supply a Menu Item title, and enter the
location in the Help File Path slot of the New Help Source dialog. Use
http:// and/or www. to identify external URLs, or download the file and
browse for its path on your machine using the Browse button.
All users can access the extensive sources of help, including
tutorials, available at docs.python.org. Selected URLs can be added
or removed from the Help menu at any time using Configure IDLE.
Basic editing and navigation:
Backspace deletes char to the left; DEL deletes char to the right.
Control-backspace deletes word left, Control-DEL deletes word right.
Arrow keys and Page Up/Down move around.
Control-left/right Arrow moves by words in a strange but useful way.
Home/End go to begin/end of line.
Control-Home/End go to begin/end of file.
Some useful Emacs bindings are inherited from Tcl/Tk:
Control-a beginning of line
Control-e end of line
Control-k kill line (but doesn't put it in clipboard)
Control-l center window around the insertion point
Standard keybindings (like Control-c to copy and Control-v to
paste) may work. Keybindings are selected in the Configure IDLE
dialog.
Automatic indentation:
After a block-opening statement, the next line is indented by 4 spaces
(in the Python Shell window by one tab). After certain keywords
(break, return etc.) the next line is dedented. In leading
indentation, Backspace deletes up to 4 spaces if they are there. Tab
inserts spaces (in the Python Shell window one tab), number depends on
Indent Width. Currently tabs are restricted to four spaces due
to Tcl/Tk limitations.
See also the indent/dedent region commands in the edit menu.
Completions:
Completions are supplied for functions, classes, and attributes of
classes, both built-in and user-defined. Completions are also provided
for filenames.
The AutoCompleteWindow (ACW) will open after a predefined delay
(default is two seconds) after a '.' or (in a string) an os.sep is
typed. If after one of those characters (plus zero or more other
characters) a tab is typed the ACW will open immediately if a possible
continuation is found.
If there is only one possible completion for the characters entered, a
tab will supply that completion without opening the ACW.
'Show Completions' will force open a completions window, by default the
Control-space keys will open a completions window. In an empty
string, this will contain the files in the current directory. On a
blank line, it will contain the built-in and user-defined functions and
classes in the current name spaces, plus any modules imported. If some
characters have been entered, the ACW will attempt to be more specific.
If string of characters is typed, the ACW selection will jump to the
entry most closely matching those characters. Entering a tab will cause
the longest non-ambiguous match to be entered in the Edit window or
Shell. Two tabs in a row will supply the current ACW selection, as
will return or a double click. Cursor keys, Page Up/Down, mouse
selection, and the scroll wheel all operate on the ACW.
"Hidden" attributes can be accessed by typing the beginning of hidden
name after a '.', e.g. '_'. This allows access to modules with
'__all__' set, or to class-private attributes.
Completions and the 'Expand Word' facility can save a lot of typing!
Completions are currently limited to those in the namespaces. Names in
an Editor window which are not via __main__ or sys.modules will not be
found. Run the module once with your imports to correct this
situation. Note that IDLE itself places quite a few modules in
sys.modules, so much can be found by default, e.g. the re module.
If you don't like the ACW popping up unbidden, simply make the delay
longer or disable the extension. Or another option is the delay could
be set to zero. Another alternative to preventing ACW popups is to
disable the call tips extension.
Python Shell window:
Control-c interrupts executing command.
Control-d sends end-of-file; closes window if typed at >>> prompt.
Alt-/ expand word is also useful to reduce typing.
Command history:
Alt-p retrieves previous command matching what you have typed. On OS X
use Control-p.
Alt-n retrieves next. On OS X use Control-n.
Return while cursor is on a previous command retrieves that command.
Syntax colors:
The coloring is applied in a background "thread", so you may
occasionally see uncolorized text. To change the color
scheme, use the Configure IDLE / Highlighting dialog.
Python default syntax colors:
Keywords orange
Builtins royal purple
Strings green
Comments red
Definitions blue
Shell default colors:
Console output brown
stdout blue
stderr red
stdin black
Other preferences:
The font preferences, highlighting, keys, and general preferences can
be changed via the Configure IDLE menu option. Be sure to note that
keys can be user defined, IDLE ships with four built in key sets. In
addition a user can create a custom key set in the Configure IDLE
dialog under the keys tab.
Command line usage:
Enter idle -h at the command prompt to get a usage message.
idle.py [-c command] [-d] [-e] [-s] [-t title] [arg] ...
-c command run this command
-d enable debugger
-e edit mode; arguments are files to be edited
-s run $IDLESTARTUP or $PYTHONSTARTUP first
-t title set title of shell window
If there are arguments:
1. If -e is used, arguments are files opened for editing and sys.argv
reflects the arguments passed to IDLE itself.
2. Otherwise, if -c is used, all arguments are placed in
sys.argv[1:...], with sys.argv[0] set to -c.
3. Otherwise, if neither -e nor -c is used, the first argument is a
script which is executed with the remaining arguments in
sys.argv[1:...] and sys.argv[0] set to the script name. If the
script name is -, no script is executed but an interactive Python
session is started; the arguments are still available in sys.argv.
Running without a subprocess: (DEPRECATED in Python 3.4 see Issue 16123)
If IDLE is started with the -n command line switch it will run in a
single process and will not create the subprocess which runs the RPC
Python execution server. This can be useful if Python cannot create
the subprocess or the RPC socket interface on your platform. However,
in this mode user code is not isolated from IDLE itself. Also, the
environment is not restarted when Run/Run Module (F5) is selected. If
your code has been modified, you must reload() the affected modules and
re-import any specific items (e.g. from foo import baz) if the changes
are to take effect. For these reasons, it is preferable to run IDLE
with the default subprocess if at all possible.
Extensions:
IDLE contains an extension facility. See the beginning of
config-extensions.def in the idlelib directory for further information.
The default extensions are currently:
FormatParagraph
AutoExpand
ZoomHeight
ScriptBinding
CallTips
ParenMatch
AutoComplete
CodeContext
Mini Shell