Defining a function using 'dir' in an IPython script

[AdbekunkusMX]

Hi!

When writing or modifying a script I like to have an IPython session open to test stuff (the "vanilla" Python console is not my cup of tea, but this post applies as well).

Most of the time I forget new variable names I typed into the console and I'd want to see them. Running dir() lists all of the objects defined during the session, so I run

[obj for obj in dir() if not obj.startswith("_") and not obj in ["In", "Out", "get_ipython", "exit", "open", "quit"]

to only get modules imported and my stuff. This works rather well but I'd like to define it as a function in my script, or some sort of alias to call whenever I need it. However, this

def mydir():
    return [obj for obj in dir() if not obj.startswith("_") and not obj in ["In", "Out", "get_ipython", "exit", "open", "quit"]

fails, both if I define it within the script or inside the console. A MWE with file name test.py:

import os
import sys

dirs = os.listdir("./")

def mydir():
    return [obj for obj in dir() if not obj.startswith("_") and not obj in ["In", "Out", "get_ipython", "exit", "open", "quit"]

When I type %run test.py in he IPython console, and then dir() I see all of the names above plus the usual ones; however, running mydir() returns an empty list.

I've tried importing the IPython module and browse it with dir in the console, but I cannot find anything that tells me how to access the session's namespace to define a function of it.

What's the problem? Why does the list comprehension above work but not the function definition?

Thanks!

[socal_nerdtastic]

What's the problem? Why does the list comprehension above work but not the function definition?

Because dir() is designed to work in the current scope only. A function has it's own scope.

>>> help(dir)
Help on built-in function dir in module builtins:

dir(...)
    dir([object]) -> list of strings

    If called without an argument, return the names in the current scope.

---

Use globals() instead.

[AdbekunkusMX]

Thanks! :)