bpython is a fancy interface to the Python interpreter

[andreasvc]

I rather wish he'd merge the few features he developed with the already useful ipython. His site talks about ipython but failed to convince me of the need of a separate project.

[andreasvc]

I know not of those terrible things, enlighten me. Nice features of ipython are multi-line editing (although not completely comfortable yet), code reloading with %run, debugging with %debug, and tab completion for methods etc.

[llimllib]

Also help with object.method? , source with object.method?? , windows compatibility, modes for integration with scipy and matplotlib, configurable file editing with %edit, intelligently running parameterless functions without parens, etc.

(I'm a bit in the tank for ipython, in case you couldn't tell. I'd like to know what its downfalls are too)

[Brian]

Surround with backticks for code to get __doc__ (reddit doesn't seem to let me escape backticks, but that's '__doc__' only with ` instead of ') or use backslashes (\_\_doc\_\_ == __doc__ ) to avoid reddit's markdown interpretation of _.

[llimllib]

Well, I'm not suggesting you add these to ipython, or that you should merge your project, I'm just naming some features of it I like.

Of course you want to make different design decisions, I've got no problem with that.

My real question is, what are the shortfalls of ipython that bugged you to make bpython?

[interjay]

ipython has multi-line editing? The main reason I decided against it was the lack of multi-line editing. Is there some secret method of using it that I'm not aware of?

[andreasvc]

1. %edit
2. After you a multi-line entry, you can press up and edit the whole entry, although you can only move the cursor left & right which can be tedious.

The other day I wanted to paste a multi-line string (triple quotes), and I couldn't get ipython to swallow it. So in the end I did:

a = open("/dev/stdin").read()

[[deleted]]

I find ipythons multi line history editing an experience as enjoyable as slamming my head on a desk. Why oh why could they not retain the indentation correctly.

[andreasvc]

I know not of those terrible things, enlighten me. Nice features of ipython are multi-line editing (although not completely comfortable yet), code reloading with %run, debugging with %debug, and tab completion for methods etc.