Python 3 is killing Python

[Terry Reedy]

On 7/17/2014 11:37 PM, Rick Johnson wrote:
> On Thursday, July 17, 2014 9:15:15 PM UTC-5, Chris Angelico wrote:
>> For myself, though, I completely do not use the editor half of [IDLE]; but
>> it's spectacularly useful (with limitations) as my primary interactive
>> interpreter.
>
> Yes Chris, i also think that the IDLE shell is "spectacular"
> when i'm using it, especially when i press
> "CONTROL+LEFT_ARROW" and the insertion cursor lands *BEHIND*
> the start of the interactive command marker " >>>",

What ancient version, or oddball system are you using? For me, Win 7, 
both 2.7.8 and 3.4.1
 >>> abc "CONTROL+LEFT_ARROW" and the cursor is before the 'a'. The HOME 
key goes to the same place first, and they before >>> on the second 
press (and before 'a' on the third).

 > an
> area where key presses are not allowed, so *NOW* I must press
> "CONTROL+RIGHT_ARROW" three times to get to my destination!

If see different behavior with *current* Python+Idle, please give 
details. Let's try to find out why and fix it. Check 
.idlerc/config-keys.cfg in your home directory.

> I'm also just "gushing with exuberance" when i open a new
> block and i get *EIGHT SPACE INDENTION*!

http://bugs.python.org/issue7676 "IDLE shell shouldn't use TABs"
is a high-priority for me. The problem is agreeing on an *exact* 
specification for new behavior, that takes into account both the 
limitations and flexibility of tk. Maybe I should start a thread here or 
python-ideas, where people are willing to discuss details.


> IDLE hangs between run
> sessions when i'm editing Tkinter code

I cannot connect this description to behavior I have seen.

>> [...] The only problem I have with it is that blatting
>> ridiculous amounts of text to the console can take a very
>> long time, esp on Windows. If I accidentally display a
>> large object when I thought I was displaying a small one,
>> it'll hang for quite a while, churning through something,
>> and it's not easy to see why or to halt it. But I suspect
>> that's more of a Windows and/or Tk issue than an Idle one.

^C 'should' stop output 'eventually'.  Sometimes does, sometimes not.

> The *PROBLEM* is that user has no method of "undo-ing" an
> accidental display of huge amounts of data , forcing the
> user to close and then re-open the entire software

I believe there is a proposal to be able to clear the shell window. We 
just need to add "Clear and restart shell". There is also an idea to put 
help output in an output window. Undo-ing the result of hitting <enter> 
seems like a sensible extension of undoing the result of hitting a key 
in the editor.

I opened "Idle: better management of Shell window output"
http://bugs.python.org/issue22010
for all three ideas, and gave you credit for part of the undo idea.

>      UNCHANGED FOR YEARS!!!

So sign the contributor agreement and volunteer to write and review patches.

-- 
Terry Jan Reedy