Expanded %exit magic in qtconsole to not exit without prompting and

added -k option to keep kernel running.

IPython/frontend/qt/console/ipython_widget.py

@@ -111,6 +111,7 b' class IPythonWidget(FrontendWidget):'
             self._payload_source_page : self._handle_payload_page,
             self._payload_source_loadpy : self._handle_payload_loadpy }
         self._previous_prompt_obj = None
+        self._keep_kernel_on_exit = None
 
         # Initialize widget styling.
         if self.style_sheet:
@@ -424,6 +425,7 b' class IPythonWidget(FrontendWidget):'
         self._edit(item['filename'], item['line_number'])
 
     def _handle_payload_exit(self, item):
+        self._keep_kernel_on_exit = item['keepkernel']
         self.exit_requested.emit()
 
     def _handle_payload_loadpy(self, item):

IPython/frontend/qt/console/ipythonqt.py

@@ -60,7 +60,10 b' class MainWindow(QtGui.QMainWindow):'
     def closeEvent(self, event):
         """ Reimplemented to prompt the user and close the kernel cleanly.
         """
+        keepkernel = self._frontend._keep_kernel_on_exit
         kernel_manager = self._frontend.kernel_manager
+        
+        if keepkernel is None:
         if kernel_manager and kernel_manager.channels_running:
             title = self.window().windowTitle()
             cancel = QtGui.QMessageBox.Cancel
@@ -86,7 +89,7 b' class MainWindow(QtGui.QMainWindow):'
                     event.accept()
                 elif reply == 0: # close Console
                     if not self._existing:
-                        # I have the kernel: don't quit, just close the window
+                            # Have kernel: don't quit, just close the window
                         self._app.setQuitOnLastWindowClosed(False)
                         self.deleteLater()
                     event.accept()
@@ -103,7 +106,16 b' class MainWindow(QtGui.QMainWindow):'
                     event.accept()
                 else:
                     event.ignore()
-            
+        elif keepkernel: #close console but leave kernel running
+            if kernel_manager and kernel_manager.channels_running:
+                if not self._existing:
+                    # I have the kernel: don't quit, just close the window
+                    self._app.setQuitOnLastWindowClosed(False)
+                event.accept()
+        else: #close console and kernel
+            if kernel_manager and kernel_manager.channels_running:
+                kernel_manager.shutdown_kernel()
+                event.accept()
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Main entry point

IPython/zmq/zmqshell.py

@@ -78,6 +78,7 b' class ZMQInteractiveShell(InteractiveShell):'
     """A subclass of InteractiveShell for ZMQ."""
 
     displayhook_class = Type(ZMQDisplayHook)
+    keepkernel = None
 
     def init_environment(self):
         """Configure the user's environment.
@@ -111,6 +112,7 b' class ZMQInteractiveShell(InteractiveShell):'
         payload = dict(
             source='IPython.zmq.zmqshell.ZMQInteractiveShell.ask_exit',
             exit=True,
+            keepkernel=self.keepkernel,
             )
         self.payload_manager.write_payload(payload)
 
@@ -564,4 +566,15 b' class ZMQInteractiveShell(InteractiveShell):'
         )
         self.payload_manager.write_payload(payload)
 
+    def magic_Exit(self, parameter_s=''):
+        """Exit IPython. If the -k option is provided, the kernel will be left
+        running. Otherwise, it will shutdown without prompting.
+        """
+        opts,args = self.parse_options(parameter_s,'k')
+        self.shell.keepkernel = opts.has_key('k')
+        self.shell.ask_exit()
+
+    # Add aliases as magics so all common forms work: exit, quit, Exit, Quit.
+    magic_exit = magic_quit = magic_Quit = magic_Exit
+
 InteractiveShellABC.register(ZMQInteractiveShell)