>>> %matplotlib inline results in SyntaxError: invalid syntax

[Mike S]

On 1/28/2016 11:57 PM, Steven D'Aprano wrote:
> On Fri, 29 Jan 2016 06:04 pm, Mike S wrote:
>
>> %matplotlib inline
>>
>> I get an error on the last line. I am running this code in Idle Python
>> 3.4.4 Shell...
>>
>> Python 3.4.4 (v3.4.4:737efcadf5a6, Dec 20 2015, 19:28:18) [MSC v.1600 32
>> bit (Intel)] on win32
>> Type "copyright", "credits" or "license()" for more information.
>>   >>> import numpy as np
>>   >>> import pandas as pd
>>   >>> import random
>>   >>> import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
>>   >>> %matplotlib inline
>> SyntaxError: invalid syntax
>>
>> What am I doing wrong? Suggested reading?
>
> That %matplotlib looks to me like iPython "magic" -- yes, that's the
> official name for it. It's not real Python code, and won't run in a regular
> Python interpreter like IDLE.
>
> IPython is a custom Python interactive interpreter. As well as running
> regular Python code, it includes special syntax for magic such as:
>
> %cd
> %run
> %bg
>
> and many more.
>
> http://ipython.org/ipython-doc/rel-0.10.2/html/interactive/reference.html#magic
>
> You could try installing iPython and running the tutorial examples in that,
> or perhaps finding a better tutorial that actually bothers to mention what
> it needs to run.
>
> (You have read the tutorial from the beginning, yes?)

Thank you Chris and Steven, I'll see if I can get iPython running and do 
a tutorial.