* Added support for prompt and history requests to the kernel manager and Qt console frontend.

* Updated message spec to be consistent with the IPython kernel implementation.

IPython/frontend/qt/console/console_widget.py

@@ -544,6 +544,7 b' class ConsoleWidget(QtGui.QWidget):'
         control.copyAvailable.connect(self.copy_available)
         control.redoAvailable.connect(self.redo_available)
         control.undoAvailable.connect(self.undo_available)
+        control.setReadOnly(True)
         control.setVerticalScrollBarPolicy(QtCore.Qt.ScrollBarAlwaysOn)
         return control
 
@@ -1256,7 +1257,7 b' class HistoryConsoleWidget(ConsoleWidget):'
         return True
 
     #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    # 'HistoryConsoleWidget' interface
+    # 'HistoryConsoleWidget' public interface
     #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     def history_previous(self):
@@ -1277,3 +1278,13 b' class HistoryConsoleWidget(ConsoleWidget):'
                 self.input_buffer = self._history[self._history_index]
             else:
                 self.input_buffer = ''
+
+    #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    # 'HistoryConsoleWidget' protected interface
+    #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    def _set_history(self, history):
+        """ Replace the current history with a sequence of history items.
+        """
+        self._history = list(history)
+        self._history_index = len(self._history)

IPython/frontend/qt/console/frontend_widget.py

@@ -121,7 +121,7 b' class FrontendWidget(HistoryConsoleWidget, BaseFrontendMixin):'
     def _execute(self, source, hidden):
         """ Execute 'source'. If 'hidden', do not show any output.
         """
-        self.kernel_manager.xreq_channel.execute(source)
+        self.kernel_manager.xreq_channel.execute(source, hidden)
         self._hidden = hidden
 
     def _execute_interrupt(self):

IPython/frontend/qt/console/ipython_widget.py

@@ -76,6 +76,22 b' class IPythonWidget(FrontendWidget):'
     # 'BaseFrontendMixin' abstract interface
     #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+    def _handle_history_reply(self, msg):
+        """ Implemented to handle history replies, which are only supported by
+            the IPython kernel.
+        """
+        history_dict = msg['content']['history']
+        items = [ history_dict[key] for key in sorted(history_dict.keys()) ]
+        self._set_history(items)
+
+    def _handle_prompt_reply(self, msg):
+        """ Implemented to handle prompt number replies, which are only
+            supported by the IPython kernel.
+        """
+        content = msg['content']
+        self._show_interpreter_prompt(content['prompt_number'], 
+                                      content['input_sep'])
+
     def _handle_pyout(self, msg):
         """ Reimplemented for IPython-style "display hook".
         """
@@ -87,6 +103,13 b' class IPythonWidget(FrontendWidget):'
             self._append_plain_text(content['data'] + '\n' + 
                                     content['output_sep2'])
 
+    def _started_channels(self):
+        """ Reimplemented to make a history request.
+        """
+        super(IPythonWidget, self)._started_channels()
+        # FIXME: Disabled until history requests are properly implemented.
+        #self.kernel_manager.xreq_channel.history(raw=True, output=False)
+
     #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
     # 'FrontendWidget' interface
     #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -141,9 +164,10 b' class IPythonWidget(FrontendWidget):'
     def _show_interpreter_prompt(self, number=None, input_sep='\n'):
         """ Reimplemented for IPython-style prompts.
         """
-        # TODO: If a number was not specified, make a prompt number request.
+        # If a number was not specified, make a prompt number request.
         if number is None:
-            number = 0
+            self.kernel_manager.xreq_channel.prompt()
+            return
 
         # Show a new prompt and save information about it so that it can be
         # updated later if the prompt number turns out to be wrong.

IPython/zmq/ipkernel.py

@@ -224,15 +224,16 b' class Kernel(Configurable):'
         prompt_number = self.shell.displayhook.prompt_count
         prompt_string = self.shell.displayhook.prompt1.peek_next_prompt()
         content = {'prompt_string' : prompt_string,
-                   'prompt_number' : prompt_number+1}
+                   'prompt_number' : prompt_number+1,
+                   'input_sep'     : self.shell.displayhook.input_sep}
         msg = self.session.send(self.reply_socket, 'prompt_reply',
                                 content, parent, ident)
         print >> sys.__stdout__, msg
 
     def history_request(self, ident, parent):
-        output = parent['content'].get('output', True)
-        index = parent['content'].get('index')
-        raw = parent['content'].get('raw', False)
+        output = parent['content']['output']
+        index = parent['content']['index']
+        raw = parent['content']['raw']
         hist = self.shell.get_history(index=index, raw=raw, output=output)
         content = {'history' : hist}
         msg = self.session.send(self.reply_socket, 'history_reply',

IPython/zmq/kernelmanager.py

@@ -163,13 +163,15 b' class XReqSocketChannel(ZmqSocketChannel):'
         """
         raise NotImplementedError('call_handlers must be defined in a subclass.')
 
-    def execute(self, code):
+    def execute(self, code, silent=False):
         """Execute code in the kernel.
 
         Parameters
         ----------
         code : str
             A string of Python code.
+        silent : bool, optional (default False)
+            If set, the kernel will execute the code as quietly possible.
 
         Returns
         -------
@@ -177,7 +179,7 b' class XReqSocketChannel(ZmqSocketChannel):'
         """
         # Create class for content/msg creation. Related to, but possibly
         # not in Session.
-        content = dict(code=code)
+        content = dict(code=code, silent=silent)
         msg = self.session.msg('execute_request', content)
         self._queue_request(msg)
         return msg['header']['msg_id']
@@ -224,6 +226,40 b' class XReqSocketChannel(ZmqSocketChannel):'
         self._queue_request(msg)
         return msg['header']['msg_id']
 
+    def history(self, index=None, raw=False, output=True):
+        """Get the history list.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        index : n or (n1, n2) or None
+            If n, then the last entries. If a tuple, then all in
+            range(n1, n2). If None, then all entries. Raises IndexError if
+            the format of index is incorrect.
+        raw : bool
+            If True, return the raw input.
+        output : bool
+            If True, then return the output as well.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        The msg_id of the message sent.
+        """
+        content = dict(index=index, raw=raw, output=output)
+        msg = self.session.msg('history_request', content)
+        self._queue_request(msg)
+        return msg['header']['msg_id']
+
+    def prompt(self):
+        """Requests a prompt number from the kernel.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        The msg_id of the message sent.
+        """
+        msg = self.session.msg('prompt_request')
+        self._queue_request(msg)
+        return msg['header']['msg_id']
+
     def _handle_events(self, socket, events):
         if events & POLLERR:
             self._handle_err()

docs/source/development/messaging.txt

@@ -253,6 +253,7 b' Message type: ``prompt_reply``::'
     content = {
       'prompt_string' : str,
       'prompt_number' : int,
+      'input_sep'     : str
     }
 
 Clients can produce a prompt with ``prompt_string.format(prompt_number)``, but
@@ -394,11 +395,7 b' Message type: ``history_request``::'
       #  - number n: return the last n entries.
       #  - pair n1, n2: return entries in the range(n1, n2).
       #  - None: return all history
-      'range' : n or (n1, n2) or None,
-
-      # If a filter is given, it is  treated as a regular expression and only
-      #  matching entries are returned.  re.search() is used to find matches.
-      'filter' : str,
+      'index' : n or (n1, n2) or None,
     }
 
 Message type: ``history_reply``::