Python Startup

There exists a useful feature for the python interpreter: The PYTHONSTARTUP variable.

It can be set to a python source file that will be executed when python is started in an interactive mode. This can be used to add command line completion and a history.

This needs to be added to ~/.bashrc or any of the startup files you use when starting an interactive bash session:

export PYTHONSTARTUP=${HOME}/.pystartup

The following code will add history as well as the command line completion.

File ~/.pystartup:

import atexit
import os

try:
    import readline
except ImportError:
    print "Module readline not available."
else:
    import rlcompleter
    readline.parse_and_bind("tab: complete")

historyPath = os.path.expanduser("~/.pyhistory")

def save_history(historyPath=historyPath):
    import readline
    readline.write_history_file(historyPath)

if os.path.exists(historyPath):
    readline.read_history_file(historyPath)

atexit.register(save_history)
del os
atexit
readline
rlcompleter
save_history
historyPath

Posted at: 09:28 | Permalink | category: /english/technical