[Idle-dev] IDLE "shell" (was: IDLE interpreter window)

[Mark Hammond]

> I don't care about emulating bash exactly, but I plan to make
> everything in the buffer up to and including the prompt read-only, so
> this would have the same effect.

I think it would be better to "do the right thing" when they type in the
existing buffer, rather than make it read-only.  For example, I often delete
earlier text from these history windows.

Ive often thought that for Pythonwin, the preferred behaviour would be that
as soon as someone starts editing a previous command, the entire command is
copied to the end of the buffer, and edited in-place there - ie, simply
remove the requirement that "Enter" copies the block to the end - make it
_any_ editing character does this!

I also have a bit of a dilemma about what to do when someone presses enter
while editing a command, but they are not at the end of that command.  Eg,
Im entering a 5 line function, and I scroll up to change line 2, then press
Enter.

> Those shell folks knew what they were doing!

I dunno - I think the editor window is far superior.  I wonder what these
shells would look like had they been written when GUIs were ubiquitous?  I
bet they would look different.  This is not to suggest that what we have is
perfect, but IMO it is an improvement.

Anecdotally, Pythonwin is nearly 7 years old, and I have never one heard
that the interactive window should "look like a shell".  I _have_ had a
handful of comments that it should be harder to edit a previous command.

Im thinking that styling could also be useful - eg, all previous text gets a
grey background, while the text you edit at the end of the buffer is white.
This could help reinforce the metaphor....

Mark.