[Idle-dev] Options -> Configure IDLE -> Highlighting in Idle 1.2.1

[Tal Einat]

Jeremy Nicoll wrote:
> > > Is this a bug, or what?
> >
> > This is a known bug which has been fixed in SVN.
>
> Does this mean I have to wait for the next formal release for that fix (not
> that it matters with that simple workaround), or are there betas as well?

Sorry, no nicely packaged beta versions. You can get the latest
version of IDLE by checking out just the contents of the idlelib
directory from the SVN (python\trunk\Lib\idlelib\) and placing it
inside your Python's Lib\idlelib directory. If you've ever worked with
CVS/SVN this should be simple enough. Otherwise, I can prepare a zip
file for you - again, installation is just replacing the contents of
the Lib\idlelib directory.

> If there are betas is there a list somewhere of what's different in them
> compared to 1.2.1?  As I'm just getting started with Python & IDLE maybe I
> might as well use a beta and take advantage of whatever extra facilities it
> offers?

Check out the NEWS.txt file in the idlelib directory. (You can read
the one in the SVN to see the changes since the version you are
using.)

> I did have a quick browse of Python25\Lib\idlelib ...
>
> Is all the code for IDLE here?

Yes.

> I see that most files exist in .py and .pyc
> forms; presumably IDLE uses the (faster?) .pyc ones so if I made any
> experimental changes in the .py ones I'd need then to compile them to .pyc
> equivalents? Would they then be picked up immediately, or after close &
> restart of IDLE, or not at all - maybe there's some other action required?

In general, when a .py file is run (or imported), Python first
compiles the file and saves the outcome ("byte-code") in a .pyc file.
But Python always makes sure that and .pyc file is up-to-date, i.e. if
any changes were made to the .py file, it will recompile it into a
.pyc file. So you don't have to worry about .pyc files at all really;
just work with the .py files, ignore the .pyc files, and you'll be
fine.

> Where (under Windows XP) does IDLE store configurations?

In a directory named .idlerc. On WinXP it is usually in your My
Documents directory (or one above it, e.g. c:\Documents and
Settings\Administrator\). In general in general, .idlerc will be under
whatever os.path.expanduser('~') returns.

> > Still, thanks for taking the time to report this! Please do tell us
> > about any other issues you run in to.
>
> I certainly shall!  Thank-you for your help.

HTH,
- Tal