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Stefano Palazzo
Asked: 2011-02-11 01:36:34 +0800 CST

How can I get tab-completion in the interactive Python interpreter?

  • 772

I often use Python 3000's interactive interpreter, but it's missing the convenience of tab-completion I'm used to from ipython, which isn't available for Python 3.x.

How do I enable tab completion in all of them, 2.6 and 3.x?

command-line

1 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    First, create a new file called .pythonstartup.py in your home directory. Put the following script in it:

    try:
    import readline
except ImportError:
    print("Module readline not available.")
else:
    import rlcompleter
    readline.parse_and_bind("tab: complete")

    The parentheses around the string ensure that it works with both Python 2 and Python 3.

    Every time the interactive interpreter is started, it executes a script defined in $PYTHONSTARTUP, if there is one. To set it to execute the above script, type

    export PYTHONSTARTUP="~/.pythonstartup.py"

    You should write this line to your .bashrc or .bash_profile file, so that it's automatically executed when a new shell is started.

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