[IPython-dev] what goes wrong with %%file

[Fernando Perez]

On Sun, May 12, 2013 at 4:23 PM, Brian Granger <ellisonbg at gmail.com> wrote:
> It feels like we are trying to create a mini file editor in a notebook
> cell.  %%file and friends are not supposed to be that in any way.  I
> think %%file with prompting the user for overwrite is sufficient for
> this particular purpose = write and store simple files in the
> notebook.

No, nobody is trying to create an editor, it's just that the *name*
can be improved, and that's all I think is within scope here.  The
function makes a (potentially destructive) action, so it should be
named as a verb, much like %%load is.  %%file is indeed ambiguous, and
we have proven evidence of confusion, which we should take into
account.

FWIW, with a name change I actually think that #3313 might not even be
needed.  I'll follow-up there on that point.

Cheers,

f