Issue #16893: Update 2.7 version of Idle doc to match 3.4 doc as of the just

committed 6db65ff985b6.

Doc/library/idle.rst

 .. _idle:
 
-IDLE
-====
-
-.. moduleauthor:: Guido van Rossum <guido@Python.org>
-
 .. index::
    single: IDLE
    single: Python Editor
    single: Integrated Development Environment
 
+IDLE
+====
+
+.. moduleauthor:: Guido van Rossum <guido@Python.org>
+
 IDLE is the Python IDE built with the :mod:`tkinter` GUI toolkit.
 
 IDLE has the following features:
 
 * coded in 100% pure Python, using the :mod:`tkinter` GUI toolkit
 
-* cross-platform: works on Windows and Unix
+* cross-platform: works on Windows, Unix, and Mac OS X
 
-* multi-window text editor with multiple undo, Python colorizing and many other
-  features, e.g. smart indent and call tips
+* multi-window text editor with multiple undo, Python colorizing,
+  smart indent, call tips, and many other features
 
 * Python shell window (a.k.a. interactive interpreter)
 
@@ -29,57 +29,69 @@ IDLE has the following features:
 Menus
 -----
 
+IDLE has two window types, the Shell window and the Editor window. It is
+possible to have multiple editor windows simultaneously. IDLE's
+menus dynamically change based on which window is currently selected. Each menu
+documented below indicates which window type it is associated with. Click on
+the dotted line at the top of a menu to "tear it off": a separate window
+containing the menu is created (for Unix and Windows only).
 
-File menu
-^^^^^^^^^
+File menu (Shell and Editor)
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
 New file
-   create a new file editing window
+   Create a new file editing window
 
 Open...
-   open an existing file
+   Open an existing file
 
 Open module...
-   open an existing module (searches sys.path)
+   Open an existing module (searches sys.path)
 
-Class browser
-   show classes and methods in current file
-
-Path browser
-   show sys.path directories, modules, classes and methods
+Recent Files
+   Open a list of recent files
 
 .. index::
    single: Class browser
    single: Path browser
 
+Class browser
+   Show classes and methods in current file
+
+Path browser
+   Show sys.path directories, modules, classes and methods
+
 Save
-   save current window to the associated file (unsaved windows have a \* before and
-   after the window title)
+   Save current window to the associated file (unsaved windows have a
+   \* before and after the window title)
 
 Save As...
-   save current window to new file, which becomes the associated file
+   Save current window to new file, which becomes the associated file
 
 Save Copy As...
-   save current window to different file without changing the associated file
+   Save current window to different file without changing the associated file
+
+Print Window
+   Print the current window
 
 Close
-   close current window (asks to save if unsaved)
+   Close current window (asks to save if unsaved)
 
 Exit
-   close all windows and quit IDLE (asks to save if unsaved)
+   Close all windows and quit IDLE (asks to save if unsaved)
 
 
-Edit menu
-^^^^^^^^^
+Edit menu (Shell and Editor)
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
 Undo
-   Undo last change to current window (max 1000 changes)
+   Undo last change to current window (a maximum of 1000 changes may be undone)
 
 Redo
    Redo last undone change to current window
 
 Cut
-   Copy selection into system-wide clipboard; then delete selection
+   Copy selection into system-wide clipboard; then delete the selection
 
 Copy
    Copy selection into system-wide clipboard
@@ -108,11 +120,30 @@ Replace...
 Go to line
    Ask for a line number and show that line
 
+Expand word
+   Expand the word you have typed to match another word in the same buffer;
+   repeat to get a different expansion
+
+Show call tip
+   After an unclosed parenthesis for a function, open a small window with
+   function parameter hints
+
+Show surrounding parens
+   Highlight the surrounding parenthesis
+
+Show Completions
+   Open a scroll window allowing selection keywords and attributes. See
+   Completions below.
+
+
+Format menu (Editor window only)
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
 Indent region
-   Shift selected lines right 4 spaces
+   Shift selected lines right by the indent width (default 4 spaces)
 
 Dedent region
-   Shift selected lines left 4 spaces
+   Shift selected lines left by the indent width (default 4 spaces)
 
 Comment out region
    Insert ## in front of selected lines
@@ -121,67 +152,129 @@ Uncomment region
    Remove leading # or ## from selected lines
 
 Tabify region
-   Turns *leading* stretches of spaces into tabs
+   Turns *leading* stretches of spaces into tabs. (Note: We recommend using
+   4 space blocks to indent Python code.)
 
 Untabify region
-   Turn *all* tabs into the right number of spaces
+   Turn *all* tabs into the correct number of spaces
 
-Expand word
-   Expand the word you have typed to match another word in the same buffer; repeat
-   to get a different expansion
+Toggle tabs
+   Open a dialog to switch between indenting with spaces and tabs.
 
-Format Paragraph
-   Reformat the current blank-line-separated paragraph
+New Indent Width
+   Open a dialog to change indent width. The accepted default by the Python
+   community is 4 spaces.
 
-Import module
-   Import or reload the current module
+Format Paragraph
+   Reformat the current blank-line-separated paragraph. All lines in the
+   paragraph will be formatted to less than 80 columns.
 
-Run script
-   Execute the current file in the __main__ namespace
+Strip trailing whitespace
+   Removes any space characters after the end of the last non-space character
 
 .. index::
    single: Import module
    single: Run script
 
 
-Windows menu
-^^^^^^^^^^^^
+Run menu (Editor window only)
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
-Zoom Height
-   toggles the window between normal size (24x80) and maximum height.
+Python Shell
+   Open or wake up the Python Shell window
 
-The rest of this menu lists the names of all open windows; select one to bring
-it to the foreground (deiconifying it if necessary).
+Check module
+   Check the syntax of the module currently open in the Editor window. If the
+   module has not been saved IDLE will prompt the user to save the code.
+
+Run module
+   Restart the shell to clean the environment, then execute the currently
+   open module.  If the module has not been saved IDLE will prompt the user
+   to save the code.
+
+Shell menu (Shell window only)
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
+View Last Restart
+  Scroll the shell window to the last Shell restart
 
-Debug menu
-^^^^^^^^^^
+Restart Shell
+  Restart the shell to clean the environment
 
-* in the Python Shell window only
+Debug menu (Shell window only)
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
 Go to file/line
    Look around the insert point for a filename and line number, open the file,
    and show the line.  Useful to view the source lines referenced in an
-   exception traceback.
+   exception traceback. Available in the context menu of the Shell window.
 
-Debugger
-   Run commands in the shell under the debugger.
+Debugger (toggle)
+   This feature is not complete and considered experimental. Run commands in
+   the shell under the debugger
 
 Stack viewer
-   Show the stack traceback of the last exception.
+   Show the stack traceback of the last exception
 
 Auto-open Stack Viewer
-   Open stack viewer on traceback.
+   Toggle automatically opening the stack viewer on unhandled exception
 
 .. index::
    single: stack viewer
    single: debugger
 
+Options menu (Shell and Editor)
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+Configure IDLE
+   Open a configuration dialog.  Fonts, indentation, keybindings, and color
+   themes may be altered.  Startup Preferences may be set, and additional
+   help sources can be specified.
+
+Code Context (toggle)(Editor Window only)
+   Open a pane at the top of the edit window which shows the block context
+   of the section of code which is scrolling off the top of the window.
+
+Windows menu (Shell and Editor)
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
-Edit context menu
-^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+Zoom Height
+   Toggles the window between normal size (40x80 initial setting) and maximum
+   height. The initial size is in the Configure IDLE dialog under the general
+   tab.
+
+The rest of this menu lists the names of all open windows; select one to bring
+it to the foreground (deiconifying it if necessary).
+
+Help menu (Shell and Editor)
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+About IDLE
+   Version, copyright, license, credits
 
-* Right-click in Edit window (Control-click on OS X)
+IDLE Help
+   Display a help file for IDLE detailing the menu options, basic editing and
+   navigation, and other tips.
+
+Python Docs
+   Access local Python documentation, if installed. Or will start a web browser
+   and open docs.python.org showing the latest Python documentation.
+
+Additional help sources may be added here with the Configure IDLE dialog under
+the General tab.
+
+.. index::
+   single: Cut
+   single: Copy
+   single: Paste
+   single: Set Breakpoint
+   single: Clear Breakpoint
+   single: breakpoints
+
+Editor Window context menu
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+* Right-click in Editor window (Control-click on OS X)
 
 Cut
    Copy selection into system-wide clipboard; then delete selection
@@ -198,17 +291,8 @@ Set Breakpoint
 Clear Breakpoint
    Clears the breakpoint on that line.
 
-.. index::
-   single: Cut
-   single: Copy
-   single: Paste
-   single: Set Breakpoint
-   single: Clear Breakpoint
-   single: breakpoints
-
-
-Shell context menu
-^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+Shell Window context menu
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
 * Right-click in Python Shell window (Control-click on OS X)
 
@@ -225,19 +309,47 @@ Go to file/line
    Same as in Debug menu.
 
 
-Basic editing and navigation
-----------------------------
+Editing and navigation
+----------------------
+
+In this section, 'C' refers to the Control key on Windows and Unix and
+the Command key on Mac OSX.
 
 * :kbd:`Backspace` deletes to the left; :kbd:`Del` deletes to the right
 
+* :kbd:`C-Backspace` delete word left; :kbd:`C-Del` delete word to the right
+
 * Arrow keys and :kbd:`Page Up`/:kbd:`Page Down` to move around
 
+* :kbd:`C-LeftArrow` and :kbd:`C-RightArrow` moves by words
+
 * :kbd:`Home`/:kbd:`End` go to begin/end of line
 
 * :kbd:`C-Home`/:kbd:`C-End` go to begin/end of file
 
-* Some :program:`Emacs` bindings may also work, including :kbd:`C-B`,
-  :kbd:`C-P`, :kbd:`C-A`, :kbd:`C-E`, :kbd:`C-D`, :kbd:`C-L`
+* Some useful Emacs bindings are inherited from Tcl/Tk:
+
+   * :kbd:`C-a` beginning of line
+
+   * :kbd:`C-e` end of line
+
+   * :kbd:`C-k` kill line (but doesn't put it in clipboard)
+
+   * :kbd:`C-l` center window around the insertion point
+
+   * :kbd:`C-b` go backwards one character without deleting (usually you can
+     also use the cursor key for this)
+
+   * :kbd:`C-f` go forward one character without deleting (usually you can
+     also use the cursor key for this)
+
+   * :kbd:`C-p` go up one line (usually you can also use the cursor key for
+     this)
+
+   * :kbd:`C-d` delete next character
+
+Standard keybindings (like :kbd:`C-c` to copy and :kbd:`C-v` to paste)
+may work.  Keybindings are selected in the Configure IDLE dialog.
 
 
 Automatic indentation
@@ -246,27 +358,75 @@ Automatic indentation
 After a block-opening statement, the next line is indented by 4 spaces (in the
 Python Shell window by one tab).  After certain keywords (break, return etc.)
 the next line is dedented.  In leading indentation, :kbd:`Backspace` deletes up
-to 4 spaces if they are there. :kbd:`Tab` inserts 1-4 spaces (in the Python
-Shell window one tab). See also the indent/dedent region commands in the edit
-menu.
-
+to 4 spaces if they are there. :kbd:`Tab` inserts spaces (in the Python
+Shell window one tab), number depends on Indent width. Currently tabs
+are restricted to four spaces due to Tcl/Tk limitations.
+
+See also the indent/dedent region commands in the edit menu.
+
+Completions
+^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+Completions are supplied for functions, classes, and attributes of classes,
+both built-in and user-defined. Completions are also provided for
+filenames.
+
+The AutoCompleteWindow (ACW) will open after a predefined delay (default is
+two seconds) after a '.' or (in a string) an os.sep is typed. If after one
+of those characters (plus zero or more other characters) a tab is typed
+the ACW will open immediately if a possible continuation is found.
+
+If there is only one possible completion for the characters entered, a
+:kbd:`Tab` will supply that completion without opening the ACW.
+
+'Show Completions' will force open a completions window, by default the
+:kbd:`C-space` will open a completions window. In an empty
+string, this will contain the files in the current directory. On a
+blank line, it will contain the built-in and user-defined functions and
+classes in the current name spaces, plus any modules imported. If some
+characters have been entered, the ACW will attempt to be more specific.
+
+If a string of characters is typed, the ACW selection will jump to the
+entry most closely matching those characters.  Entering a :kbd:`tab` will
+cause the longest non-ambiguous match to be entered in the Editor window or
+Shell.  Two :kbd:`tab` in a row will supply the current ACW selection, as
+will return or a double click.  Cursor keys, Page Up/Down, mouse selection,
+and the scroll wheel all operate on the ACW.
+
+"Hidden" attributes can be accessed by typing the beginning of hidden
+name after a '.', e.g. '_'. This allows access to modules with
+``__all__`` set, or to class-private attributes.
+
+Completions and the 'Expand Word' facility can save a lot of typing!
+
+Completions are currently limited to those in the namespaces. Names in
+an Editor window which are not via ``__main__`` and :data:`sys.modules` will
+not be found.  Run the module once with your imports to correct this situation.
+Note that IDLE itself places quite a few modules in sys.modules, so
+much can be found by default, e.g. the re module.
+
+If you don't like the ACW popping up unbidden, simply make the delay
+longer or disable the extension.  Or another option is the delay could
+be set to zero. Another alternative to preventing ACW popups is to
+disable the call tips extension.
 
 Python Shell window
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
-* :kbd:`C-C` interrupts executing command
+* :kbd:`C-c` interrupts executing command
 
-* :kbd:`C-D` sends end-of-file; closes window if typed at a ``>>>`` prompt
+* :kbd:`C-d` sends end-of-file; closes window if typed at a ``>>>`` prompt
 
-* :kbd:`Alt-p` retrieves previous command matching what you have typed
+* :kbd:`Alt-/` (Expand word) is also useful to reduce typing
 
-* :kbd:`Alt-n` retrieves next
+  Command history
 
-* :kbd:`Return` while on any previous command retrieves that command
+  * :kbd:`Alt-p` retrieves previous command matching what you have typed. On
+    OS X use :kbd:`C-p`.
 
-* :kbd:`Alt-/` (Expand word) is also useful here
+  * :kbd:`Alt-n` retrieves next. On OS X use :kbd:`C-n`.
 
-.. index:: single: indentation
+  * :kbd:`Return` while on any previous command retrieves that command
 
 
 Syntax colors
@@ -308,17 +468,17 @@ Startup
 
 Upon startup with the ``-s`` option, IDLE will execute the file referenced by
 the environment variables :envvar:`IDLESTARTUP` or :envvar:`PYTHONSTARTUP`.
-Idle first checks for ``IDLESTARTUP``; if ``IDLESTARTUP`` is present the file
-referenced is run.  If ``IDLESTARTUP`` is not present, Idle checks for
+IDLE first checks for ``IDLESTARTUP``; if ``IDLESTARTUP`` is present the file
+referenced is run.  If ``IDLESTARTUP`` is not present, IDLE checks for
 ``PYTHONSTARTUP``.  Files referenced by these environment variables are
-convenient places to store functions that are used frequently from the Idle
+convenient places to store functions that are used frequently from the IDLE
 shell, or for executing import statements to import common modules.
 
 In addition, ``Tk`` also loads a startup file if it is present.  Note that the
 Tk file is loaded unconditionally.  This additional file is ``.Idle.py`` and is
 looked for in the user's home directory.  Statements in this file will be
 executed in the Tk namespace, so this file is not useful for importing functions
-to be used from Idle's Python shell.
+to be used from IDLE's Python shell.
 
 
 Command line usage
@@ -348,4 +508,63 @@ If there are arguments:
    name is '-', no script is executed but an interactive Python session is started;
    the arguments are still available in ``sys.argv``.
 
+Running without a subprocess
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+If IDLE is started with the -n command line switch it will run in a
+single process and will not create the subprocess which runs the RPC
+Python execution server.  This can be useful if Python cannot create
+the subprocess or the RPC socket interface on your platform.  However,
+in this mode user code is not isolated from IDLE itself.  Also, the
+environment is not restarted when Run/Run Module (F5) is selected.  If
+your code has been modified, you must reload() the affected modules and
+re-import any specific items (e.g. from foo import baz) if the changes
+are to take effect.  For these reasons, it is preferable to run IDLE
+with the default subprocess if at all possible.
+
+.. deprecated:: 3.4
+
+
+Additional help sources
+-----------------------
+
+IDLE includes a help menu entry called "Python Docs" that will open the
+extensive sources of help, including tutorials, available at docs.python.org.
+Selected URLs can be added or removed from the help menu at any time using the
+Configure IDLE dialog. See the IDLE help option in the help menu of IDLE for
+more information.
+
+
+Other preferences
+-----------------
+
+The font preferences, highlighting, keys, and general preferences can be
+changed via the Configure IDLE menu option.  Be sure to note that
+keys can be user defined, IDLE ships with four built in key sets. In
+addition a user can create a custom key set in the Configure IDLE dialog
+under the keys tab.
+
+
+Extensions
+----------
+
+IDLE contains an extension facility.  See the beginning of
+config-extensions.def in the idlelib directory for further information.  The
+default extensions are currently:
+
+* FormatParagraph
+
+* AutoExpand
+
+* ZoomHeight
+
+* ScriptBinding
+
+* CallTips
+
+* ParenMatch
+
+* AutoComplete
+
+* CodeContext