[ python-Feature Requests-1721083 ] Add File - Reload

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Feature Requests item #1721083, was opened at 2007-05-17 22:15
Message generated for change (Comment added) made by kbk
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Category: IDLE
Group: Python 2.6
Status: Open
Resolution: None
>Priority: 3
Private: No
Submitted By: Raymond Hettinger (rhettinger)
Assigned to: Kurt B. Kaiser (kbk)
Summary: Add File - Reload

Initial Comment:
When using CVS or SVN, it is common to revert or merge a file that is open in the editor.  It would be great to have a reload/refresh option on the menu to bring in the changed file.  Without that option, the only approach is to close without saving, fire-up the editor again, and reload the file manually.

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>Comment By: Kurt B. Kaiser (kbk)
Date: 2007-07-21 21:04

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If you have more than one IDLE window open (even a shell), it's not
necessary to shut down.  Just close the edit window, confirm the unsaved
warning, and use the Recent Files menu item to reopen with the current disk
contents.  We are talking about five mouse clicks instead of three,
counting confirmation dialogs. In my opinion, it's not worth complicating
IDLE and confusing beginners with a 'revert' menu item to save two clicks
every other day or so.

I normally use IDLE with svn and never feel the need to reload something
that was merged.  After all, you should have updated before you opened the
file in IDLE.  If you modified the file in IDLE, saved, and checked it in,
IDLE's copy is the same as svn.

Maybe you have a use case I haven't considered.  If it's a good one, then
a (normally inactive) IDLE extension might be warranted for those who
really need this.

Adding a warning when saving that the file has changed on disk is a good
emacs feature which has saved my bacon a number of times.  That would be a
good feature to add to IDLE, but that's a different request.  Rejecting
this one.

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Comment By: Tal Einat (taleinat)
Date: 2007-07-20 19:29

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I agree with KBK that what you suggest goes against IDLE's philosophy,
which is to be simple and uncluttered, avoiding "bells and whistles".

However, I do think that a simple "revert file" menu item in the File
menu, which would just reload the file from the file system, could be
generally useful.

Additionally, IDLE could monitor the file on the file system, and if it is
changed outside of IDLE, ask the user whether to continue with the current
version or switch to the new version on disk. I've seen some text editors
do this, and it can save some headaches. Drawbacks are that some users may
find this annoying (at least at first), and it could be somewhat complex to
implement. Thoughts on this? Perhaps this should be brought up on
IDLE-dev?

Each of the above would allow you to revert/merge using whatever
CVS/SVN/etc. tools you normally use, then just load the new version inside
the already open instance of IDLE. I think this would be a good separation
of roles between IDLE and version control tools.

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Comment By: Kurt B. Kaiser (kbk)
Date: 2007-05-22 19:18

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But isn't this an example of a bell/whistle which is outside IDLE's design
policies?  It would add a menu item which would be rather rarely used,
especially by beginners, it seems to me.  Why not just close the edit
window (not IDLE) and re-open using the Files / Recent Files feature?

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