cpython/Doc/library/readline.rst

:mod:`readline` --- GNU readline interface
==========================================

.. module:: readline
   :platform: Unix
   :synopsis: GNU readline support for Python.
.. sectionauthor:: Skip Montanaro <skip@pobox.com>


The :mod:`readline` module defines a number of functions to facilitate
completion and reading/writing of history files from the Python interpreter.
This module can be used directly, or via the :mod:`rlcompleter` module, which
supports completion of Python identifiers at the interactive prompt.  Settings
made using  this module affect the behaviour of both the interpreter's
interactive prompt  and the prompts offered by the :func:`raw_input` and
:func:`input` built-in functions.

.. note::

  The underlying Readline library API may be implemented by
  the ``libedit`` library instead of GNU readline.
  On MacOS X the :mod:`readline` module detects which library is being used
  at run time.

  The configuration file for ``libedit`` is different from that
  of GNU readline. If you programmatically load configuration strings
  you can check for the text "libedit" in :const:`readline.__doc__`
  to differentiate between GNU readline and libedit.

Readline keybindings may be configured via an initialization file, typically
``.inputrc`` in your home directory.  See `Readline Init File
<https://cnswww.cns.cwru.edu/php/chet/readline/rluserman.html#SEC9>`_
in the GNU Readline manual for information about the format and
allowable constructs of that file, and the capabilities of the
Readline library in general.


Init file
---------

The following functions relate to the init file and user configuration:


.. function:: parse_and_bind(string)

   Execute the init line provided in the *string* argument. This calls
   :c:func:`rl_parse_and_bind` in the underlying library.


.. function:: read_init_file([filename])

   Execute a readline initialization file. The default filename is the last filename
   used. This calls :c:func:`rl_read_init_file` in the underlying library.


Line buffer
-----------

The following functions operate on the line buffer:


.. function:: get_line_buffer()

   Return the current contents of the line buffer (:c:data:`rl_line_buffer`
   in the underlying library).


.. function:: insert_text(string)

   Insert text into the line buffer at the cursor position.  This calls
   :c:func:`rl_insert_text` in the underlying library, but ignores
   the return value.


.. function:: redisplay()

   Change what's displayed on the screen to reflect the current contents of the
   line buffer.  This calls :c:func:`rl_redisplay` in the underlying library.


History file
------------

The following functions operate on a history file:


.. function:: read_history_file([filename])

   Load a readline history file, and append it to the history list.
   The default filename is :file:`~/.history`.  This calls
   :c:func:`read_history` in the underlying library.


.. function:: write_history_file([filename])

   Save the history list to a readline history file, overwriting any
   existing file.  The default filename is :file:`~/.history`.  This calls
   :c:func:`write_history` in the underlying library.


.. function:: get_history_length()
              set_history_length(length)

   Set or return the desired number of lines to save in the history file.
   The :func:`write_history_file` function uses this value to truncate
   the history file, by calling :c:func:`history_truncate_file` in
   the underlying library.  Negative values imply
   unlimited history file size.


History list
------------

The following functions operate on a global history list:


.. function:: clear_history()

   Clear the current history.  This calls :c:func:`clear_history` in the
   underlying library.  The Python function only exists if Python was
   compiled for a version of the library that supports it.

   .. versionadded:: 2.4


.. function:: get_current_history_length()

   Return the number of items currently in the history.  (This is different from
   :func:`get_history_length`, which returns the maximum number of lines that will
   be written to a history file.)

   .. versionadded:: 2.3


.. function:: get_history_item(index)

   Return the current contents of history item at *index*.  The item index
   is one-based.  This calls :c:func:`history_get` in the underlying library.

   .. versionadded:: 2.3


.. function:: remove_history_item(pos)

   Remove history item specified by its position from the history.
   The position is zero-based.  This calls :c:func:`remove_history` in
   the underlying library.

   .. versionadded:: 2.4


.. function:: replace_history_item(pos, line)

   Replace history item specified by its position with *line*.
   The position is zero-based.  This calls :c:func:`replace_history_entry`
   in the underlying library.

   .. versionadded:: 2.4


.. function:: add_history(line)

   Append *line* to the history buffer, as if it was the last line typed.
   This calls :c:func:`add_history` in the underlying library.


Startup hooks
-------------

   .. versionadded:: 2.3


.. function:: set_startup_hook([function])

   Set or remove the function invoked by the :c:data:`rl_startup_hook`
   callback of the underlying library.  If *function* is specified, it will
   be used as the new hook function; if omitted or ``None``, any function
   already installed is removed.  The hook is called with no
   arguments just before readline prints the first prompt.


.. function:: set_pre_input_hook([function])

   Set or remove the function invoked by the :c:data:`rl_pre_input_hook`
   callback of the underlying library.  If *function* is specified, it will
   be used as the new hook function; if omitted or ``None``, any
   function already installed is removed.  The hook is called
   with no arguments after the first prompt has been printed and just before
   readline starts reading input characters.


Completion
----------

The following functions relate to implementing a custom word completion
function.  This is typically operated by the Tab key, and can suggest and
automatically complete a word being typed.  By default, Readline is set up
to be used by :mod:`rlcompleter` to complete Python identifiers for
the interactive interpreter.  If the :mod:`readline` module is to be used
with a custom completer, a different set of word delimiters should be set.


.. function:: set_completer([function])

   Set or remove the completer function.  If *function* is specified, it will be
   used as the new completer function; if omitted or ``None``, any completer
   function already installed is removed.  The completer function is called as
   ``function(text, state)``, for *state* in ``0``, ``1``, ``2``, ..., until it
   returns a non-string value.  It should return the next possible completion
   starting with *text*.

   The installed completer function is invoked by the *entry_func* callback
   passed to :c:func:`rl_completion_matches` in the underlying library.
   The *text* string comes from the first parameter to the
   :c:data:`rl_attempted_completion_function` callback of the
   underlying library.


.. function:: get_completer()

   Get the completer function, or ``None`` if no completer function has been set.

   .. versionadded:: 2.3


.. function:: get_completion_type()

   Get the type of completion being attempted.  This returns the
   :c:data:`rl_completion_type` variable in the underlying library as
   an integer.

   .. versionadded:: 2.6

.. function:: get_begidx()
              get_endidx()

   Get the beginning or ending index of the completion scope.
   These indexes are the *start* and *end* arguments passed to the
   :c:data:`rl_attempted_completion_function` callback of the
   underlying library.


.. function:: set_completer_delims(string)
              get_completer_delims()

   Set or get the word delimiters for completion.  These determine the
   start of the word to be considered for completion (the completion scope).
   These functions access the :c:data:`rl_completer_word_break_characters`
   variable in the underlying library.

.. function:: set_completion_display_matches_hook([function])

   Set or remove the completion display function.  If *function* is
   specified, it will be used as the new completion display function;
   if omitted or ``None``, any completion display function already
   installed is removed.  This sets or clears the
   :c:data:`rl_completion_display_matches_hook` callback in the
   underlying library.  The completion display function is called as
   ``function(substitution, [matches], longest_match_length)`` once
   each time matches need to be displayed.

   .. versionadded:: 2.6

.. _readline-example:

Example
-------

The following example demonstrates how to use the :mod:`readline` module's
history reading and writing functions to automatically load and save a history
file named :file:`.pyhist` from the user's home directory.  The code below would
normally be executed automatically during interactive sessions from the user's
:envvar:`PYTHONSTARTUP` file. ::

   import os
   import readline
   histfile = os.path.join(os.path.expanduser("~"), ".pyhist")
   try:
       readline.read_history_file(histfile)
       # default history len is -1 (infinite), which may grow unruly
       readline.set_history_length(1000)
   except IOError:
       pass
   import atexit
   atexit.register(readline.write_history_file, histfile)
   del os, histfile

The following example extends the :class:`code.InteractiveConsole` class to
support history save/restore. ::

   import code
   import readline
   import atexit
   import os

   class HistoryConsole(code.InteractiveConsole):
       def __init__(self, locals=None, filename="<console>",
                    histfile=os.path.expanduser("~/.console-history")):
           code.InteractiveConsole.__init__(self, locals, filename)
           self.init_history(histfile)

       def init_history(self, histfile):
           readline.parse_and_bind("tab: complete")
           if hasattr(readline, "read_history_file"):
               try:
                   readline.read_history_file(histfile)
               except IOError:
                   pass
               atexit.register(self.save_history, histfile)

       def save_history(self, histfile):
           readline.set_history_length(1000)
           readline.write_history_file(histfile)