[IPython-dev] Integrating pandas into pylab

[Carlos Córdoba]

I think EPD distributed a magic called %whoosh which let you do full 
text searching in docstrings which is roughly the equivalent to 
lookfor. I'll try to add it to Spyder during the next year and you can 
read about it here:

http://pypi.python.org/pypi/WhooshDoc/1.0

About the flat namespace, it's a great idea, specially to use it with 
the new ipython notebook (maybe as a profile, at least at the 
beginning). I think it would be better if it could be accompanied by a 
comprehensive Py4Science book which described what you can get from it. 
Something similar to the Mathematica book, with topics like these:

1. Core Language
A Python intro from the scientific point of view

2. Data structures:
Vectors/Matrices = Numpy arrays
Tabular Data = DataFrame

3. Linear algebra
dot, cross, norm, etc

4, Symbolic Mathematics
Variables = Sympy symbols
Integration/derivation/ODEs

5. Probability
Distributions = Scipy.stats
Random numbers = numpy.random

6. Graphics
2D = mpl.plot
3D = mayavi.mlab
3D interactive = VPython

7. Interfaces
IPython

lookfor and a book like this one will be a great improvement for any 
newbie trying to get started with python.

Cheers and keep up the good flow of ideas,
Carlos

El jue 27 oct 2011 13:17:06 COT, Fernando Perez escribió:
> On Thu, Oct 27, 2011 at 9:28 AM, Aaron Meurer<asmeurer at gmail.com>  wrote:
>> I think IPython could help on this front.  Instead of relying on good
>> "See Also" sections in docstrings (though those are important too), it
>> would be useful to have an IPython magic that searched the docstring
>> of every name in the present namespace (pardon me if this already
>> exists, I didn't find anything like it in %magic).
>>
>> That way, it would be easy for users to just import everything from
>> pylab (or whatever), and try to find functions related to whatever
>> functionality they are interested in.  This would be somewhat of an
>> equivalent of the built-in help for a GUI program like Matlab or R
>> GUI.  And of course, the GUI versions of IPython could (and should)
>> have more GUI oriented versions of this.
>
> Absolutely.  Now that we have frontends capable of presenting this
> information in a richer manner, I hope someone will pitch in and
> contribute a good system for help searching/introspection.  Even if
> initially we don't match the fantastic Mathematica help browser, the
> 'where do I find a function to do X' question is one of the most
> significant stumbling blocks newcomers face.  Just yesterday I was
> lecturing at Berkeley (mostly grad students and postdocs, but new to
> Python) and this came up persistently.
>
> Cheers,
>
> f
> _______________________________________________
> IPython-dev mailing list
> IPython-dev at scipy.org
> http://mail.scipy.org/mailman/listinfo/ipython-dev