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 and Unix
- multi-window text editor with multiple undo, Python colorizing and many other
features, e.g. smart indent and call tips
- Python shell window (a.k.a. interactive interpreter)
- debugger (not complete, but you can set breakpoints, view and step)
Basic editing and navigation
- Backspace deletes to the left; Del deletes to the right
- Arrow keys and Page Up/Page Down to move around
- Home/End go to begin/end of line
- C-Home/C-End go to begin/end of file
- Some Emacs bindings may also work, including C-B,
C-P, C-A, C-E, C-D, C-L
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 1-4 spaces (in the Python
Shell window one tab). See also the indent/dedent region commands in the edit
menu.
Python Shell window
- C-C interrupts executing command
- C-D sends end-of-file; closes window if typed at a >>> prompt
- Alt-p retrieves previous command matching what you have typed
- Alt-n retrieves next
- Return while on any previous command retrieves that command
- Alt-/ (Expand word) is also useful here
Syntax colors
The coloring is applied in a background “thread,” so you may occasionally see
uncolorized text. To change the color scheme, edit the [Colors] section in
config.txt.
- Python syntax colors:
- Keywords
- orange
- Strings
- green
- Comments
- red
- Definitions
- blue
- Shell colors:
- Console output
- brown
- stdout
- blue
- stderr
- dark green
- stdin
- black
Command line usage
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:
- If -e is used, arguments are files opened for editing and
sys.argv reflects the arguments passed to IDLE itself.
- Otherwise, if -c is used, all arguments are placed in
sys.argv[1:...], with sys.argv[0] set to '-c'.
- 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.
