Command line examples added for non-parallel apps.

IPython/config/application.py

@@ -89,7 +89,9 b' class Application(SingletonConfigurable):'
     option_description = Unicode(option_description)
     keyvalue_description = Unicode(keyvalue_description)
     subcommand_description = Unicode(subcommand_description)
-    
+
+    # The usage and example string that goes at the end of the help string.
+    examples = Unicode()
 
     # A sequence of Configurable subclasses whose config=True attributes will
     # be exposed at the command line.
@@ -170,7 +172,7 b' class Application(SingletonConfigurable):'
         self._log_formatter = logging.Formatter("[%(name)s] %(message)s")
         self._log_handler.setFormatter(self._log_formatter)
         self.log.addHandler(self._log_handler)
-    
+
     def initialize(self, argv=None):
         """Do the basic steps to configure me.
         
@@ -285,6 +287,19 b' class Application(SingletonConfigurable):'
             print p
             print
 
+    def print_examples(self):
+        """Print usage and examples.
+
+        This usage string goes at the end of the command line help string
+        and should contain examples of the application's usage.
+        """
+        if self.examples:
+            print "Examples"
+            print "--------"
+            print
+            print indent(dedent(self.examples.strip()))
+            print
+
     def print_version(self):
         """Print the version string."""
         print self.version
@@ -327,6 +342,7 b' class Application(SingletonConfigurable):'
         if '-h' in argv or '--help' in argv or '--help-all' in argv:
             self.print_description()
             self.print_help('--help-all' in argv)
+            self.print_examples()
             self.exit(0)
 
         if '--version' in argv:
@@ -341,6 +357,7 b' class Application(SingletonConfigurable):'
         except (TraitError, ArgumentError) as e:
             self.print_description()
             self.print_help()
+            self.print_examples()
             self.log.fatal(str(e))
             self.exit(1)
         # store unparsed args in extra_args

IPython/core/profileapp.py

@@ -79,7 +79,6 b' where you can edit ipython_config.py to start configuring IPython.'
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
-
 class ProfileList(Application):
     name = u'ipython-profile'
     description = list_help
@@ -128,9 +127,15 b" create_flags.update(boolean_flag('parallel', 'ProfileCreate.parallel',"
                 "Include parallel computing config files", 
                 "Don't include parallel computing config files"))
 
+create_examples = """
+ipython profile create foo        # create profile foo
+ipython profile create foo --init # create with default config files
+"""
+
 class ProfileCreate(BaseIPythonApplication):
     name = u'ipython-profile'
     description = create_help
+    examples = create_examples
     auto_create = Bool(True, config=False)
     
     def _copy_config_files_default(self):
@@ -199,10 +204,16 b' class ProfileCreate(BaseIPythonApplication):'
     def stage_default_config_file(self):
         pass
 
+main_examples = """
+ipython profile create -h  # show the help string for the create subcommand
+ipython profile list -h    # show the help string for the list subcommand
+"""
+
 class ProfileApp(Application):
     name = u'ipython-profile'
     description = profile_help
-    
+    examples = main_examples
+
     subcommands = Dict(dict(
         create = (ProfileCreate, "Create a new profile dir with default config files"),
         list = (ProfileList, "List existing profiles")

IPython/frontend/qt/console/qtconsoleapp.py

@@ -218,6 +218,12 b' aliases.update(dict('
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # IPythonQtConsole
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+qt_examples = """
+ipython qtconsole                 # start the qtconsole
+ipython qtconsole --pylab=inline  # start with pylab in inline plotting mode
+"""
+
 class IPythonQtConsoleApp(BaseIPythonApplication):
     name = 'ipython-qtconsole'
     default_config_file_name='ipython_config.py'
@@ -231,7 +237,8 b' class IPythonQtConsoleApp(BaseIPythonApplication):'
         The QtConsole supports various extra features beyond the
         
     """
-    
+    examples = qt_examples
+
     classes = [IPKernelApp, IPythonWidget, ZMQInteractiveShell, ProfileDir, Session]
     flags = Dict(flags)
     aliases = Dict(aliases)

IPython/frontend/terminal/ipapp.py

@@ -168,12 +168,23 b' aliases.update(dict('
 # Main classes and functions
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+examples = """
+ipython --pylab            # start in pylab mode
+ipython --pylab=qt         # start in pylab mode with the qt4 backend
+ipython --log_level=DEBUG  # set logging to DEBUG
+ipython --profile=foo      # start with profile foo
+ipython qtconsole          # start the qtconsole GUI application
+ipython profile -h         # show the help string for the profile subcmd
+ipython qtconsole -h       # show the help string for the qtconsole subcmd
+"""
+
 class TerminalIPythonApp(BaseIPythonApplication, InteractiveShellApp):
     name = u'ipython'
     description = usage.cl_usage
     default_config_file_name = default_config_file_name
     crash_handler_class = IPAppCrashHandler
-    
+    examples = examples
+
     flags = Dict(flags)
     aliases = Dict(aliases)
     classes = [InteractiveShellApp, TerminalInteractiveShell, ProfileDir, PlainTextFormatter]