[IPython-dev] Request: IPython.ext namespace

Brian Granger ellisonbg at gmail.com
Thu Oct 25 15:54:41 EDT 2012


On Thu, Oct 25, 2012 at 12:49 PM, MinRK <benjaminrk at gmail.com> wrote:
> All modules can already be extensions or contain extensions.  Any importable
> module that has a `load_ipython_extension(ip)` function is a valid
> extension.
>
> An excellent example of this is sympyprinting, which was recently moved out
> of IPython and into sympy.  It is now loaded as:
>
> %load_ext sympy.interactive.ipythonprinting
>
> This is just a regular Python module that is a part of sympy.  There is
> nothing extra to install.
>
> So I would say that this is already a solved problem, and there is no reason
> to deal with a special namespace.

I very much agree with Min's take on this - this is why we designed
extensions the way we did.

Cheers,

Brian

> -MinRK
>
> On Thu, Oct 25, 2012 at 12:28 PM, Takafumi Arakaki <aka.tkf at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I think IPython should provide namespace for IPython extensions, so
>> that extension authors can upload their extensions to PyPI.  I don't
>> care about what the actual name is (probably it can be ipythonext,
>> IPythonContrib, IPython.extensions, or what ever).  It is something
>> what Sphinx does for "sphinxcontrib.*" namespace.  I can think of many
>> reasons why it is better for IPython extension users and authors:
>>
>> 1. When you want to use external Python module in your extension,
>>    currently there is no easy way to install it.  If you can upload
>>    your extension as `IPython.ext.YOUREXT`, it can be easily solved.
>>
>> 2. Similarity, you can depends on other IPython extensions.  Currently
>>    there is no easy way to import other IPython extensions.
>>
>> 3. It does not stop people using `%install_ext`.  If your extension is
>>    just one file, you can just do::
>>
>>      %install_ext
>>
>> https://raw.github.com/YOU/ipython-ext-YOUREXT/master/IPython/ext/YOUREXT.py
>>
>> 4. You get IPython extension search engine for free.  People can just do::
>>
>>      pip search IPython.ext
>>
>>    Try ``pip search sphinxcontrib``, for example.
>>
>> 5. It helps people avoiding namespace collision.  Currently there is
>>    no easy way to make sure if other people not using some name.
>>    Sure, you can google it, but you can't be 100% sure.
>>
>> 6. IPython don't need to create any machinery for this.  All you need
>>    to do is to put some notice in the documentation for extension
>>    author.
>>
>>
>> To be fair, I will try to think the reasons why you should not do this:
>>
>> 1. It may drive lazy people away from writing it.  "Oh, I need setup.py
>>    for IPython extension?  No... I won't upload it hen."
>>
>>    (But you don't need to upload your extension to pypi, if your
>>    extension is just one file.)
>>
>> 2. It increases the amount and complexity of documentation you need to
>>    maintain.  You need to explain:  "You can install extensions using
>>    `pip` (or `easy_install`, if you want).  Oh, you can use
>>    `%install_ext` magic by the way.  But it cannot be used for some
>>    packages blah blah blah...".
>>
>>
>> BTW, should I post something like this in ML or github issue?  As
>> there was old discussion in this ML [1]_, I am posting it here.
>>
>> .. [1]
>> http://mail.scipy.org/pipermail/ipython-dev/2012-June/thread.html#9427
>>
>>
>> --
>> Takafumi Arakaki
>> https://github.com/tkf
>> _______________________________________________
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>> IPython-dev at scipy.org
>> http://mail.scipy.org/mailman/listinfo/ipython-dev
>
>
>
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-- 
Brian E. Granger
Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo
bgranger at calpoly.edu and ellisonbg at gmail.com



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