cpython/Doc/library/readline.rst

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: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.
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)