add proper readline support

1 files changed, 28 insertions, 6 deletions

diff --git a/skel/.pythonrc b/skel/.pythonrc
index b1226d8..573e388 100644
--- a/skel/.pythonrc
+++ b/skel/.pythonrc
@@ -1,10 +1,32 @@
 # ~/.pythonrc
+# Add auto-completion and a stored history file of commands to your Python
+# interactive interpreter. Requires Python 2.0+, readline. Autocomplete is
+# bound to the Esc key by default (you can change it - see readline docs).
+#
+# Store the file in ~/.pystartup, and set an environment variable to point
+# to it:  "export PYTHONSTARTUP=/home/user/.pystartup" in bash.
+#
+# Note that PYTHONSTARTUP does *not* expand "~", so you have to put in the
+# full path to your home directory.
+
+import atexit
+import os
 # enable syntax completion
 try:
-	import readline
+    import readline
+    readline.parse_and_bind("tab: complete")
 except ImportError:
-	print ("Module readline not available.")
-else:
-	import rlcompleter
-	readline.parse_and_bind("tab: complete")
-				
+    print ("Module readline not available.")
+import rlcompleter
+
+historyPath = os.path.expanduser("~/.pyhistory")
+
+def save_history(historyPath=historyPath):
+    import readline
+    readline.write_history_file(historyPath)
+
+if os.path.exists(historyPath):
+    readline.read_history_file(historyPath)
+
+atexit.register(save_history)
+del os, atexit, readline, rlcompleter, save_history, historyPath