diff --git a/docs/source/interactive/converting_notebooks.txt b/docs/source/interactive/converting_notebooks.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..52f6ff8 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/source/interactive/converting_notebooks.txt @@ -0,0 +1,260 @@ + + +.. _`nbconvert script`: + +Converting notebooks to other formats +===================================== + +Newly added in the 1.0 release of IPython is the ``nbconvert`` tool, which +allows you to convert an ``.ipynb`` notebook document file into various static +formats. + +Currently, ``nbconvert`` is provided as a command line tool, run as a script +using IPython. In the future, a direct export capability from within the +IPython Notebook web app is planned. + +The command-line syntax to run the ``nbconvert`` script is:: + + $ ipython nbconvert --format=FORMAT notebook.ipynb + +This will convert the IPython document file ``notebook.ipynb`` into the output +format given by the ``FORMAT`` string. + +The default output format is HTML, for which the ``--format`` modifier may be +omitted:: + + $ ipython nbconvert notebook.ipynb + +The currently supported export formats are the following: + +* HTML: + + - **full_html**: + Standard HTML + + - **simple_html**: + Simplified HTML + + - **reveal**: + HTML slideshow presentation for use with the ``reveal.js`` package + +* PDF: + + - **sphinx_howto**: + The format for Sphinx_ HOWTOs; similar to an ``article`` in LaTeX + + - **sphinx_manual**: + The format for Sphinx_ manuals; similar to a ``book`` in LaTeX + + - **latex**: + An article formatted completely using LaTeX + +* Markup: + + - **rst**: + reStructuredText_ markup + + - **markdown**: + Markdown_ markup + +.. _Sphinx: http://sphinx-doc.org/ +.. _reStructuredText: http://docutils.sourceforge.net/rst.html + +* Python: + + Comments out all the non-Python code to produce a ``.py`` Python + script with just the code content. Currently the output includes IPython + magics, and so can be run with ``ipython``, after changing the extension + of the script to ``.ipy``. + +The files output file created by ``nbconvert`` will have the same base name as +the notebook and will be placed in the current working directory. Any +supporting files (graphics, etc) will be placed in a new directory with the +same base name as the notebook, suffixed with ``_files``:: + + $ ipython nbconvert notebook.ipynb + $ ls + notebook.ipynb notebook.html notebook_files/ + +Each of the options for PDF export produces as an intermediate step a LaTeX +``.tex`` file with the same basename as the notebook, as well as individual +files for each figure, and ``.text`` files with textual output from running +code cells. + +To actually produce the final PDF file, run the following commands:: + + $ ipython nbconvert --format=latex notebook.ipynb + $ pdflatex notebook + +This requires a local installation of LaTeX on your machine. +The output is a PDF file ``notebook.pdf``, also placed inside the +``nbconvert_build`` subdirectory. + +Alternatively, the output may be sent to standard output with:: + + $ ipython nbconvert notebook.ipynb --stdout + +Multiple notebooks can be specified from the command line:: + + $ ipython nbconvert notebook*.ipynb + $ ipython nbconvert notebook1.ipynb notebook2.ipynb + +or via a list in a configuration file, say ``mycfg.py``, containing the text:: + + c = get_config() + c.NbConvertApp.notebooks = ["notebook1.ipynb", "notebook2.ipynb"] + +and using the command:: + + $ ipython nbconvert --config mycfg.py + + +Extracting standard Python files from notebooks +----------------------------------------------- +``.ipynb`` notebook document files are plain text files which store a +representation in JSON format of the contents of a notebook space. As such, +they are not valid ``.py`` Python scripts, and so can be neither imported +directly with ``import`` in Python, nor run directly as a standard Python +script (though both of these are possible with simple workarounds). + + +To extract the Python code from within a notebook document, the simplest +method is to use the ``File | Download as | Python (.py)`` menu item; the +resulting ``.py`` script will be downloaded to your browser's default +download location. + +An alternative is to pass an argument to the IPython Notebook, from the moment +when it is originally started, specifying that whenever it saves an ``.ipynb`` +notebook document, it should, at the same time, save the corresponding + ``.py`` script. To do so, you can execute the following command:: + + $ ipython notebook --script + +or you can set this option permanently in your configuration file with:: + + c = get_config() + c.NotebookManager.save_script=True + +The result is that standard ``.py`` files are also now generated, which +can be ``%run``, imported from regular IPython sessions or other notebooks, or +executed at the command line, as usual. Since the raw code you have typed is +exported, you must avoid using syntax such as IPython magics and other +IPython-specific extensions to the language for the files to be able to be +successfully imported. +.. or you can change the script's extension to ``.ipy`` and run it with:: +.. +.. $ ipython script.ipy + +In normal Python practice, the standard way to differentiate importable code +in a Python script from the "executable" part of a script is to use the +following idiom at the start of the executable part of the code:: + + if __name__ == '__main__' + + # rest of the code... + +Since all cells in the notebook are run as top-level code, you will need to +similarly protect *all* cells that you do not want executed when other scripts +try to import your notebook. A convenient shortand for this is to define +early on:: + + script = __name__ == '__main__' + +Then in any cell that you need to protect, use:: + + if script: + # rest of the cell... + + + +.. _notebook_format: + +Notebook JSON file format +------------------------- +Notebook documents are JSON files with an ``.ipynb`` extension, formatted +as legibly as possible with minimal extra indentation and cell content broken +across lines to make them reasonably friendly to use in version-control +workflows. You should be very careful if you ever manually edit this JSON +data, as it is extremely easy to corrupt its internal structure and make the +file impossible to load. In general, you should consider the notebook as a +file meant only to be edited by the IPython Notebook app itself, not for +hand-editing. + +.. note:: + + Binary data such as figures are also saved directly in the JSON file. + This provides convenient single-file portability, but means that the + files can be large; a ``diff`` of binary data is also not very + meaningful. Since the binary blobs are encoded in a single line, they + affect only one line of the ``diff`` output, but they are typically very + long lines. You can use the ``Cell | All Output | Clear`` menu option to + remove all output from a notebook prior to committing it to version + control, if this is a concern. + +The notebook server can also generate a pure Python version of your notebook, +using the ``File | Download as`` menu option. The resulting ``.py`` file will +contain all the code cells from your notebook verbatim, and all Markdown cells +prepended with a comment marker. The separation between code and Markdown +cells is indicated with special comments and there is a header indicating the +format version. All output is removed when exporting to Python. + +As an example, consider a simple notebook called ``simple.ipynb`` which +contains one Markdown cell, with the content ``The simplest notebook.``, one +code input cell with the content ``print "Hello, IPython!"``, and the +corresponding output. + +The contents of the notebook document ``simple.ipynb`` is the following JSON +container:: + + { + "metadata": { + "name": "simple" + }, + "nbformat": 3, + "nbformat_minor": 0, + "worksheets": [ + { + "cells": [ + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": "The simplest notebook." + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "collapsed": false, + "input": "print \"Hello, IPython\"", + "language": "python", + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [ + { + "output_type": "stream", + "stream": "stdout", + "text": "Hello, IPython\n" + } + ], + "prompt_number": 1 + } + ], + "metadata": {} + } + ] + } + + +The corresponding Python script is:: + + # -*- coding: utf-8 -*- + # 3.0 + + # + + # The simplest notebook. + + # + + print "Hello, IPython" + +Note that indeed the output of the code cell, which is present in the JSON +container, has been removed in the ``.py`` script. + diff --git a/docs/source/interactive/index.rst b/docs/source/interactive/index.rst index 1ce17bc..74de4a3 100644 --- a/docs/source/interactive/index.rst +++ b/docs/source/interactive/index.rst @@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ Using IPython for interactive work reference shell qtconsole - htmlnotebook + notebook + converting_notebooks + working_remotely diff --git a/docs/source/interactive/notebook.txt b/docs/source/interactive/notebook.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bfca8d5 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/source/interactive/notebook.txt @@ -0,0 +1,564 @@ +.. _htmlnotebook: + +The IPython Notebook +==================== + +The IPython Notebook is part of the IPython package, which aims to provide a +powerful, interactive approach to scientific computation. +The IPython Notebook extends the previous text-console-based approach, and the +later Qt console, in a qualitatively new diretion, providing a web-based +application suitable for capturing the whole scientific computation process. + +.. seealso:: + + :ref:`Installation requirements ` for the Notebook. + + +.. Basic structure +.. --------------- + +Introduction +------------ + +The IPython Notebook combines two components: + +* **The IPython Notebook web application**: + + The *IPython Notebook web app* is a browser-based tool for interactive + authoring of literate computations, in which explanatory text, + mathematics, computations and rich media output may be combined. Input + and output are stored in persistent cells that may be edited in-place. + +* **Notebook documents**: + + *Notebook documents*, or *notebooks*, are plain text documents which + record all inputs and outputs of the computations, interspersed with + text, mathematics and HTML 5 representations of objects, in a literate + style. + +Since the similarity in names can lead to some confusion, in this +documentation we will use capitalization of the word "notebook" to +distinguish the *N*otebook app and *n*otebook documents, thinking of the +Notebook app as being a proper noun. We will also always refer to the +"Notebook app" when we are referring to the browser-based interface, +and usually to "notebook documents", instead of "notebooks", for added +precision. + +We refer to the current state of the computational process taking place in the +Notebook app, i.e. the (numbered) sequence of input and output cells, as the +*notebook space*. Notebook documents provide an *exact*, *one-to-one* record +of all the content in the notebook space, as a plain text file in JSON format. +The Notebook app automatically saves, at certain intervals, the contents of +the notebook space to a notebook document stored on disk, with the same name +as the title of the notebook space, and the file extension ``.ipynb``. For +this reason, there is no confusion about using the same word "notebook" for +both the notebook space and the corresonding notebook document, since they are +really one and the same concept (we could say that they are "isomorphic"). + + +Main features of the IPython Notebook web app +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +The main features of the IPython Notebook app include: + +* In-browser editing for code, with automatic syntax highlighting and + indentation and tab completion/introspection. + +* Literate combination of code with rich text using the Markdown_ markup + language. + +* Mathematics is easily included within the Markdown using LaTeX notation, and + rendered natively by MathJax_. + +* Displays rich data representations (e.g. HTML / LaTeX / SVG) as the result + of computations. + +* Publication-quality figures in a range of formats (SVG / PNG), rendered by + the matplotlib_ library, may be included inline and exported. + + +.. _MathJax: http://www.mathjax.org/ +.. _matplotlib: http://matplotlib.org/ +.. _Markdown: http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/syntax + + +Notebook documents +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +Notebook document files are just standard, ASCII-coded text files with the +extension ``.ipynb``, stored in the working directory on your computer. +Since the contents of the files are just plain text, they can be easily +version-controlled and shared with colleagues. + +Internally, notebook document files use the JSON_ format, allowing them to +store a *complete*, *reproducible*, *one-to-one* copy of the state of the +computational state as it is inside the Notebook app. All computations +carried out, and the corresponding results obtained, can be combined in +a literate way, interleaving executable code with rich text, mathematics, +and HTML 5 representations of objects. + +.. _JSON: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JSON + +Notebooks may easily be exported to a range of static formats, including +HTML (for example, for blog posts), PDF and slide shows, via the +newly-included `nbconvert script`_ functionality. + +Furthermore, any ``.ipynb`` notebook document with a publicly-available +URL can be shared via the `IPython Notebook Viewer`_ service. This service + loads the notebook document from the URL which will +provide it as a static web page. The results may thus be shared with a +colleague, or as a public blog post, without other users needing to install +IPython themselves. + +See the :ref:`installation documentation ` for directions on +how to install the notebook and its dependencies. + +.. _`Ipython Notebook Viewer`: http://nbviewer.ipython.org + +.. note:: + + You can start more than one notebook server at the same time, if you want + to work on notebooks in different directories. By default the first + notebook server starts on port 8888, and later notebook servers search for + ports near that one. You can also manually specify the port with the + ``--port`` option. + + +Basic workflow in the IPython Notebook web app +---------------------------------------------- + +Starting up +~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +You can start running the Notebook web app using the following command:: + + $ ipython notebook + +(Here, and in the sequel, the initial ``$`` represents the shell prompt, +indicating that the command is to be run from the command line in a shell.) + +The landing page of the IPython Notebook application, the *dashboard*, shows +the notebooks currently available in the *working directory* (the directory +from which the notebook was started). +You can create new notebooks from the dashboard with the ``New Notebook`` +button, or open existing ones by clicking on their name. +You can also drag and drop ``.ipynb`` notebooks and standard ``.py`` Python +source code files into the notebook list area. + + +You can open an existing notebook directly, without having to go via the +dashboard, with: + + ipython notebook my_notebook + +The `.ipynb` extension is assumed if no extension is given. + +The `File | Open...` menu option will open the dashboard in a new browser tab, +to allow you to select a current notebook +from the working directory or to create a new notebook + + + +Notebook user interface +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +When you open a new notebook document in the Notebook, you will be presented +with the title associated to the notebook space/document, a *menu bar*, a +*toolbar* and an empty *input cell*. + +Notebook title +^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +The title of the notebook document that is currently being edited is displayed +at the top of the page, next to the ``IP[y]: Notebook`` logo. This title may +be edited directly by clicking on it. The title is reflected in the name of +the ``.ipynb`` notebook document file that is saved. + +Menu bar +^^^^^^^^ +The menu bar presents different options that may be used to manipulate the way +the Notebook functions. + +Toolbar +^^^^^^^ +The tool bar gives a quick way of accessing the most-used operations within +the Notebook, by clicking on an icon. + + +Creating a new notebook document +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +A new notebook space/document may be created at any time, either from the +dashboard, or using the `File | New` menu option from within an active +notebook. The new notebook is created within the same working directory and +will open in a new browser tab. It will also be reflected as a new entry in +the notebook list on the dashboard. + + +Structure of a notebook document +-------------------------------- + +Input cells +~~~~~~~~~~~ +Input cells are at the core of the functionality of the IPython Notebook. +They are regions in the document in which you can enter different types of +text and commands. To *execute* or *run* the *current cell*, i.e. the cell +under the cursor, you can use the :kbd:`Shift-Enter` key combination. +This tells the Notebook app to perform the relevant operation for each type of +cell (see below), and then to display the resulting output. + +The notebook consists of a sequence of input cells, labelled ``In[n]``, which +may be executed in a non-linear way, and outputs ``Out[n]``, where ``n`` is a +number which denotes the order in which the cells were executed over the +history of the computational process. The contents of all of these cells are +accessible as Python variables with the same names, forming a complete record +of the history of the computation. + + + +Input cell types +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ +Each IPython input cell has a *cell type*, of which there is a restricted +number. The type of a cell may be set by using the cell type dropdown on the +toolbar, or via the following keyboard shortcuts: + +* **code**: :kbd:`Ctrl-m y` +* **markdown**: :kbd:`Ctrl-m m` +* **raw**: :kbd:`Ctrl-m t` +* **heading**: :kbd:`Ctrl-m 1` - :kbd:`Ctrl-m 6` + +Upon initial creation, each input cell is by default a code cell. + + +Code cells +^^^^^^^^^^ +A *code input cell* allows you to edit code inline within the cell, with full +syntax highlighting and autocompletion/introspection. By default, the language +associated to a code cell is Python, but other languages, such as ``julia`` +and ``R``, can be handled using magic commands (see below). + +When a code cell is executed with :kbd:`Shift-Enter`, the code that it +contains is transparently exported and run in that language (with automatic +compiling, etc., if necessary). The result that is returned from this +computation is then displayed in the notebook space as the cell's +*output*. If this output is of a textual nature, it is placed into a +numbered *output cell*. However, many other possible forms of output are also +possible, including ``matplotlib`` figures and HTML tables (as used, for +example, in the ``pandas`` data analyis package). This is known as IPython's +*rich display* capability. + + +Markdown cells +^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +You can document the computational process in a literate way, alternating +descriptive text with code, using *rich text*. In IPython this is accomplished +by marking up text with the Markdown language. The corresponding cells are +called *Markdown input cells*. The Markdown language provides a simple way to +perform this text markup, that is, to specify which parts of the text should +be emphasized (italics), bold, form lists, etc. + + +When a Markdown input cell is executed, the Markdown code is converted into +the corresponding formatted rich text. This output then *replaces* the +original Markdown input cell, leaving just the visually-significant marked up +rich text. Markdown allows arbitrary HTML code for formatting. + +Within Markdown cells, you can also include *mathematics* in a straightforward +way, using standard LaTeX notation: ``$...$`` for inline mathematics and +``$$...$$`` for displayed mathematics. When the Markdown cell is executed, +the LaTeX portions are automatically rendered in the HTML output as equations +with high quality typography. This is made possible by MathJax_, which +supports a `large subset`_ of LaTeX functionality + +.. _`large subset`: http://docs.mathjax.org/en/latest/tex.html + +Standard mathematics environments defined by LaTeX and AMS-LaTeX (the +`amsmath` package) also work, such as +``\begin{equation}...\end{equation}``, and ``\begin{align}...\end{align}``. +New LaTeX macros may be defined using standard methods, +such as ``\newcommand``, by placing them anywhere *between math delimiters* in +a Markdown cell. These definitions are then available throughout the rest of +the IPython session. (Note, however, that more care must be taken when using +the `nbconvert script`_ to output to LaTeX). + +Raw input cells +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ +*Raw* input cells provide a place in which you can put additional information +which you do not want to evaluated by the Notebook. This can be used, for +example, to include extra information that is needed when exporting to a +certain format. The output after evaluating a raw cell is just a verbatim copy +of the input. + +Heading cells +~~~~~~~~~~~~~ +You can provide a conceptual structure for your computational document as a +whole using different levels of headings; there are 6 levels available, from +level 1 (top level) down to level 6 (paragraph). These can be used later for +constructing tables of contents, etc. + +As with Markdown cells, a heading input cell is replaced by a rich text +rendering of the heading when the cell is executed. + + +Basic workflow +-------------- +The normal workflow in a notebook is, then, quite similar to a standard +IPython session, with the difference that you can edit cells in-place multiple +times until you obtain the desired results, rather than having to +rerun separate scripts with the ``%run`` magic command. (Magic commands do, +however, also work in the notebook; see below). + +Typically, you will work on a computational problem in pieces, organizing +related ideas into cells and moving forward once previous parts work +correctly. This is much more convenient for interactive exploration than +breaking up a computation into scripts that must be executed together, as was +previously necessary, especially if parts of them take a long time to run + +The only significant limitation that the Notebook currently has, compared to +the Qt console, is that it cannot run any code that expects input from the +kernel (such as scripts that call :func:`raw_input`). Very importantly, this +means that the ``%debug`` magic does *not* currently work in the notebook! + +This limitation will be overcome in the future, but in the meantime, there is +a simple solution for debugging: you can attach a Qt console to your existing +notebook kernel, and run ``%debug`` from the Qt console. +If your notebook is running on a local computer (i.e. if you are accessing it +via your localhost address at ``127.0.0.1``), then you can just type +``%qtconsole`` in the notebook and a Qt console will open up, connected to +that same kernel. + +At certain moments, it may be necessary to interrupt a calculation which is +taking too long to complete. This may be done with the ``Kernel | Interrupt`` +menu option, or the :kbd:``Ctrl-i`` keyboard shortcut. +Similarly, it may be necessary or desirable to restart the whole computational +process, with the ``Kernel | Restart`` menu option or :kbd:``Ctrl-.`` +shortcut. This gives an equivalent state to loading the notebook document +afresh. + + +.. warning:: + + While in simple cases you can "roundtrip" a notebook to Python, edit the + Python file, and then import it back without loss of main content, this is + in general *not guaranteed to work*. First, there is extra metadata + saved in the notebook that may not be saved to the ``.py`` format. And as + the notebook format evolves in complexity, there will be attributes of the + notebook that will not survive a roundtrip through the Python form. You + should think of the Python format as a way to output a script version of a + notebook and the import capabilities as a way to load existing code to get + a notebook started. But the Python version is *not* an alternate notebook + format. + + +Keyboard shortcuts +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ +All actions in the notebook can be achieved with the mouse, but keyboard +shortcuts are also available for the most common ones, so that productive use +of the notebook can be achieved with minimal mouse usage. The main shortcuts +to remember are the following: + +* :kbd:`Shift-Enter`: + + Execute the current cell, show output (if any), and jump to the next cell + below. If :kbd:`Shift-Enter` is invoked on the last input cell, a new code + cell will also be created. Note that in the notebook, typing :kbd:`Enter` + on its own *never* forces execution, but rather just inserts a new line in + the current input cell. In the Notebook it is thus always necessary to use + :kbd:`Shift-Enter` to execute the cell (or use the ``Cell | Run`` menu + item). + +* :kbd:`Ctrl-Enter`: + Execute the current cell as if it were in "terminal mode", where any + output is shown, but the cursor *remains* in the current cell. This is + convenient for doing quick experiments in place, or for querying things + like filesystem content, without needing to create additional cells that + you may not want to be saved in the notebook. + +* :kbd:`Alt-Enter`: + Executes the current cell, shows the output, and inserts a *new* input + cell between the current cell and the adjacent cell (if one exists). This + is thus a shortcut for the sequence :kbd:`Shift-Enter`, :kbd:`Ctrl-m a`. + (:kbd:`Ctrl-m a` adds a new cell above the current one.) + +* :kbd:`Ctrl-m`: + This is the prefix for *all* other shortcuts, which consist of :kbd:`Ctrl-m` + followed by a single letter or character. For example, if you type + :kbd:`Ctrl-m h` (that is, the sole letter :kbd:`h` after :kbd:`Ctrl-m`), + IPython will show you all the available keyboard shortcuts. + + +Magic commands +-------------- +Magic commands, or *magics*, are commands for controlling IPython itself. +They all begin with ``%`` and are entered into code input cells; the code +cells are executed as usual with :kbd:`Shift-Enter`. + +The magic commands call special functions defined by IPython which manipulate +the computational state in certain ways. + +There are two types of magics: + + - **line magics**: + + These begin with a single ``%`` and take as arguments the rest of the + *same line* of the code cell. Any other lines of the code cell are + treated as if they were part of a standard code cell. + + - **cell magics**: + + These begin with ``%%`` and operate on the *entire* remaining contents + of the code cell. + +Line magics +~~~~~~~~~~~ +Some of the available line magics are the following: + + * ``%load filename``: + + Loads the contents of the file ``filename`` into a new code cell. This + can be a URL for a remote file. + + * ``%timeit code``: + + An easy way to time how long the single line of code ``code`` takes to + run + + * ``%config``: + + Configuration of the IPython Notebook + + * ``%lsmagic``: + + Provides a list of all available magic commands + +Cell magics +~~~~~~~~~~~ + + * ``%%latex``: + + Renders the entire contents of the cell in LaTeX, without needing to use + explicit LaTeX delimiters. + + * ``%%bash``: + + The code cell is executed by sending it to be executed by ``bash``. The + output of the ``bash`` commands is captured and displayed in the + notebook. + + * ``%%file filename``: + + Writes the contents of the cell to the file ``filename``. + **Caution**: The file is over-written without warning! + + * ``%%R``: + + Execute the contents of the cell using the R language. + + * ``%%timeit``: + + Version of ``%timeit`` which times the entire block of code in the + current code cell. + + + +Several of the cell magics provide functionality to manipulate the filesystem +of a remote server to which you otherwise do not have access. + + +Plotting +-------- +One major feature of the Notebook is the ability to interact with +plots that are the output of running code cells. IPython is designed to work +seamlessly with the ``matplotlib`` plotting library to provide this +functionality. + +To set this up, before any plotting is performed you must execute the +``%matplotlib`` magic command. This performs the necessary behind-the-scenes +setup for IPython to work correctly hand in hand with ``matplotlib``; it does +*not*, however, actually execute any Python ``import`` commands, that is, no +names are added to the namespace. + +For more agile *interactive* use of the notebook space, an alternative magic, +``%pylab``, is provided. This does the same work as the ``%matplotlib`` magic, +but *in addition* it automatically executes a standard sequence of ``import`` +statements required to work with the ``%matplotlib`` library, importing the +following names into the namespace: + + ``numpy`` as ``np``; ``matplotlib.pyplot`` as ``plt``; + ``matplotlib``, ``pylab`` and ``mlab`` from ``matplotlib``; and *all names* + from within ``numpy`` and ``pylab``. + +However, the use of ``%pylab`` is discouraged, since names coming from +different packages may collide. In general, the use of ``from package import +*`` is discouraged. A better option is then:: + + %pylab --no-import-all + +which imports the names listed above, but does *not* perform this +``import *`` imports. + +If the ``%matplotlib`` or ``%pylab` magics are called without an argument, the +output of a plotting command is displayed using the default ``matplotlib`` +backend in a separate window. Alternatively, the backend can be explicitly +requested using, for example:: + + %matplotlib gtk + +A particularly interesting backend is the ``inline`` backend. +This is applicable only for the IPython Notebook and the IPython Qtconsole. +It can be invoked as follows:: + + %matplotlib inline + +With this backend, output of plotting commands is displayed *inline* within +the notebook format, directly below the input cell that produced it. The +resulting plots will then also be stored in the notebook document. This +provides a key part of the functionality for reproducibility_ that the IPython +Notebook provides. + +.. _reproducibility: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reproducibility + + + +Configuring the IPython Notebook +-------------------------------- +The IPython Notebook can be run with a variety of command line arguments. +To see a list of available options enter:: + + $ ipython notebook --help + +Defaults for these options can also be set by creating a file named +``ipython_notebook_config.py`` in your IPython *profile folder*. The profile +folder is a subfolder of your IPython directory; to find out where it is +located, run:: + + $ ipython locate + +To create a new set of default configuration files, with lots of information +on available options, use:: + + $ ipython profile create + +.. seealso: + + :ref:`config_overview`, in particular :ref:`Profiles`. + + +Importing `.py` files +---------------------- + + +``.py`` files will be imported into the IPython Notebook as a notebook with +the same basename, but an ``.ipynb`` extension, located in the working +directory. The notebook created will have just one cell, which will contain +all the code in the ``.py`` file. You can later manually partition this into +individual cells using the ``Edit | Split Cell`` menu option, or the +:kbd:`Ctrl-m -` keyboard shortcut. + +.. Alternatively, prior to importing the ``.py``, you can manually add ``# < +nbformat>2`` at the start of the file, and then add separators for +text and code cells, to get a cleaner import with the file already broken into +individual cells. + + + +.. _Markdown: http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/basics diff --git a/docs/source/interactive/working_remotely.txt b/docs/source/interactive/working_remotely.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ab4eb9d --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/source/interactive/working_remotely.txt @@ -0,0 +1,182 @@ +.. _working_remotely.txt + +Working remotely +================ + + +The IPython Notebook web app is based on a server-client structure. +This server uses a two-process kernel architecture based on ZeroMQ, as well as +Tornado for serving HTTP requests. Other clients may connect to the same +underlying IPython kernel; see below. + +.. _notebook_security: + +Security +-------- + +You can protect your Notebook server with a simple single password by +setting the :attr:`NotebookApp.password` configurable. You can prepare a +hashed password using the function :func:`IPython.lib.security.passwd`: + +.. sourcecode:: ipython + + In [1]: from IPython.lib import passwd + In [2]: passwd() + Enter password: + Verify password: + Out[2]: 'sha1:67c9e60bb8b6:9ffede0825894254b2e042ea597d771089e11aed' + +.. note:: + + :func:`~IPython.lib.security.passwd` can also take the password as a string + argument. **Do not** pass it as an argument inside an IPython session, as it + will be saved in your input history. + +You can then add this to your :file:`ipython_notebook_config.py`, e.g.:: + + # Password to use for web authentication + c = get_config() + c.NotebookApp.password = + u'sha1:67c9e60bb8b6:9ffede0825894254b2e042ea597d771089e11aed' + +When using a password, it is a good idea to also use SSL, so that your +password is not sent unencrypted by your browser. You can start the notebook +to communicate via a secure protocol mode using a self-signed certificate with +the command:: + + $ ipython notebook --certfile=mycert.pem + +.. note:: + + A self-signed certificate can be generated with ``openssl``. For example, + the following command will create a certificate valid for 365 days with + both the key and certificate data written to the same file:: + + $ openssl req -x509 -nodes -days 365 -newkey rsa:1024 -keyout mycert. + pem -out mycert.pem + +Your browser will warn you of a dangerous certificate because it is +self-signed. If you want to have a fully compliant certificate that will not +raise warnings, it is possible (but rather involved) to obtain one, +`as explained in detailed in this tutorial`__. + +.. __: http://arstechnica.com/security/news/2009/12/how-to-get-set-with-a- +secure-sertificate-for-free.ars + +Keep in mind that when you enable SSL support, you will need to access the +notebook server over ``https://``, not over plain ``http://``. The startup +message from the server prints this, but it is easy to overlook and think the +server is for some reason non-responsive. + + +Connecting to an existing kernel +--------------------------------- + +The notebook server always prints to the terminal the full details of +how to connect to each kernel, with messages such as the following:: + + [IPKernelApp] To connect another client to this kernel, use: + [IPKernelApp] --existing kernel-3bb93edd-6b5a-455c-99c8-3b658f45dde5.json + +This long string is the name of a JSON file that contains all the port and +validation information necessary to connect to the kernel. You can then, for +example, manually start a Qt console connected to the *same* kernel with:: + + $ ipython qtconsole --existing + kernel-3bb93edd-6b5a-455c-99c8-3b658f45dde5.json + +If you have only a single kernel running, simply typing:: + + $ ipython qtconsole --existing + +will automatically find it. (It will always find the most recently +started kernel if there is more than one.) You can also request this +connection data by typing ``%connect_info``; this will print the same +file information as well as the content of the JSON data structure it +contains. + + +Running a public notebook server +-------------------------------- + +If you want to access your notebook server remotely via a web browser, +you can do the following. + +Start by creating a certificate file and a hashed password, as explained +above. Then create a custom profile for the notebook, with the following +command line, type:: + + $ ipython profile create nbserver + +In the profile directory just created, edit the file +``ipython_notebook_config.py``. By default, the file has all fields +commented; the minimum set you need to uncomment and edit is the following:: + + c = get_config() + + # Kernel config + c.IPKernelApp.pylab = 'inline' # if you want plotting support always + + # Notebook config + c.NotebookApp.certfile = u'/absolute/path/to/your/certificate/mycert.pem' + c.NotebookApp.ip = '*' + c.NotebookApp.open_browser = False + c.NotebookApp.password = u'sha1:bcd259ccf...[your hashed password here]' + # It is a good idea to put it on a known, fixed port + c.NotebookApp.port = 9999 + +You can then start the notebook and access it later by pointing your browser +to ``https://your.host.com:9999`` with ``ipython notebook +--profile=nbserver``. + +Running with a different URL prefix +----------------------------------- + +The notebook dashboard (the landing page with an overview +of the notebooks in your working directory) typically lives at the URL +``http://localhost:8888/``. If you prefer that it lives, together with the +rest of the notebook, under a sub-directory, +e.g. ``http://localhost:8888/ipython/``, you can do so with +configuration options like the following (see above for instructions about +modifying ``ipython_notebook_config.py``):: + + c.NotebookApp.base_project_url = '/ipython/' + c.NotebookApp.base_kernel_url = '/ipython/' + c.NotebookApp.webapp_settings = {'static_url_prefix':'/ipython/static/'} + +Using a different notebook store +-------------------------------- + +By default, the Notebook app stores the notebook documents that it saves as +files in the working directory of the Notebook app, also known as the +``notebook_dir``. This logic is implemented in the +:class:`FileNotebookManager` class. However, the server can be configured to +use a different notebook manager class, which can +store the notebooks in a different format. + +Currently, we ship a :class:`AzureNotebookManager` class that stores notebooks +in Azure blob storage. This can be used by adding the following lines to your +``ipython_notebook_config.py`` file:: + + c.NotebookApp.notebook_manager_class = + 'IPython.html.services.notebooks.azurenbmanager.AzureNotebookManager' + c.AzureNotebookManager.account_name = u'paste_your_account_name_here' + c.AzureNotebookManager.account_key = u'paste_your_account_key_here' + c.AzureNotebookManager.container = u'notebooks' + +In addition to providing your Azure Blob Storage account name and key, you +will have to provide a container name; you can use multiple containers to +organize your notebooks. + + +Known issues +------------ + +When behind a proxy, especially if your system or browser is set to autodetect +the proxy, the Notebook app might fail to connect to the server's websockets, +and present you with a warning at startup. In this case, you need to configure +your system not to use the proxy for the server's address. + +For example, in Firefox, go to the Preferences panel, Advanced section, +Network tab, click 'Settings...', and add the address of the notebook server +to the 'No proxy for' field.