Dump interpreter history?

[John Gordon]

In <mailman.1278.1301104317.1189.python-list at python.org> Tim Chase <python.list at tim.thechases.com> writes:

> > import readline
> > readline.write_history_file([filename])

> Just to clarify (I thought Daniel's answer was so easy it must 
> have misinterpreted the OP's request), that's a single string as 
> a filename, not a list containing a filename.  I tried

In most documentation, square brackets indicate that the enclosed item is
optional; the brackets are not meant to be used literally.

Therefore, this text:

  readline.write_history_file([filename])

says "You can call write_history_file() with no arguments at all, or
with one argument which is the name of the file to be written."

-- 
John Gordon                   A is for Amy, who fell down the stairs
gordon at panix.com              B is for Basil, assaulted by bears
                                -- Edward Gorey, "The Gashlycrumb Tinies"