[IPython-dev] DreamPie - a new graphical Python shell

[Warren Weckesser]

Noam Yorav-Raphael wrote:


<snip>
>>> * '?' and '??'. I guess that in a graphical environment it's best if
>>> the help appears in a new window.
>>>       
>> not really -- there is a real efficiency to being able whip stuff out at
>> the command line. It might be nice to have the help show up in a new
>> window, but don't make me pick up the mouse to get it. typing ? is
>> really easy.
>>     
>
> Indeed. I thought of something like an extended tooltip. There's
> currently a tooltip showing function arguments, and I guess it can be
> extended to show more documentation.
>   

Actually, while I find the ? *very* convenient and helpful, there is one 
behavior about it that often irks me.  It uses a "more"-like viewer for 
the text, but the text *goes away* when I hit 'q'.  Many times I want to 
keep the docstring visible while I proceed to enter a command.  I then 
have to resort to something like "print foo.__doc__".  (Or have I missed 
a key that exits the docstring view but leaves the text visible?)  
Having the docstring in a window would be much nicer in this case.

Warren