[IPython-dev] iPipe and Hotwire Shell

[Ville M. Vainio]

On Jan 31, 2008 5:40 AM, Colin Walters <walters at verbum.org> wrote:

> Hotwire is closer to a "system" shell built on Python, and IPipe due
> to its IPython base is more a Python toplevel where you can call out
> to the system if you want.  Practically speaking, because I'm more of
> an OS developer, I find myself wanting to call out to system binaries
> more often than not.  I could use IPython and type "!make", "!sudo rpm
> ...", etc., but it's much nicer to just type "make" and "sudo rpm
> ...".  I do prefer Hotwire's approach of just taking over the system
> namespace with improved versions, rather than having two worlds
> separated by "!".

Try using "ipython -p sh", you might be in for a treat. I use IPython
primarily as OS shell, and such functionality is definitely a
priority.

> There's also some code in Hotwire like the SysBuiltin for executing
> subprocesses that would be good to share.  I see IPipe just does
> os.popen4(self.cmd).  I remember when I thought it was that
> easy...before I discovered the horrors of Unix pseudoterminals just so
> you can force subprocesses to be line buffered, and the pitfalls of
> processing through /bin/sh.

Thanks for the heads up, this is something I'd like to explore (and
have pondered quite a bit in the past).

-- 
Ville M. Vainio - vivainio.googlepages.com
blog=360.yahoo.com/villevainio - g[mail | talk]='vivainio'