Idle comments

[Tim Peters]

[Ragica <zzz at NO-MAIL.com>, seeking a way to change something about IDLE's
 color decisions]
> I know it's in the code. I have even looked for where (believe it or
> not). In the IDLE readme for example it tells you where and what to
> change to adjust the syntax highlight colours--but not the default
> background colour--, I looked around there. Alas, to no avail. I
> freely admit i find that code confusing. I am not quite the python
> programming genius as yoursly truly.

It's really a question about Tk, whose mysteries are as deep to me as to
anyone.  The thing to do is to grep (or "findstr" on NT) the IDLE source for
"background".  You won't get many hits, and one of them may be the thing you
need to change.  Most likely in EditorWindow's __init__ function (last place
you'd look, right <wink>?).  Look for where it creates a Text widget "... =
Text(...)".  If there are
    background=whatever
    foreground=whatever
keyword arguments already, change them; else add them.  I don't have the
1.5.2 IDLE source anymore, so can't be more specific.

> ...
> I have to tell you, even if the guidos of the world are ever infinitely
> more programatically exalted than insignificant I...
> i simply can't fathom people who hard code stuff into their programs!
> Even at early stages. In my books setting-type variables at very least
> should go somewhere highly visible and up-front... so as to be easy
> to access and find. But that's just me, perhaps.

It's only hard to find the first time <wink>.  In the meantime, a
comprehensive subsystem for managing user preferences is a major piece of
work, and Guido appears to have devoted his limited IDLE time to adding
major new functionality instead.  That's the downside of Open Source, of
course:  unlike as with proprietary software, you don't get to pay for the
privilege of feeling ignored <wink>.

patience-works-better-than-impatience-ly y'rs  - tim