implement callable (i.e. straight python) aliases and _sh shadow namespace

IPython/shadowns.py

@@ -0,0 +1,1 b''
+""" Shadow namespace """
  No newline at end of file

IPython/OInspect.py

@@ -6,7 +6,7 b' Uses syntax highlighting for presenting the various information elements.'
 Similar in spirit to the inspect module, but all calls take a name argument to
 reference the name under which an object is being read.
 
-$Id: OInspect.py 1850 2006-10-28 19:48:13Z fptest $
+$Id: OInspect.py 2463 2007-06-27 22:51:16Z vivainio $
 """
 
 #*****************************************************************************
@@ -337,8 +337,11 b' class Inspector:'
             ospace = info.namespace
         # Get docstring, special-casing aliases:
         if isalias:
+            if not callable(obj):
             ds = "Alias to the system command:\n  %s" % obj[1]
         else:
+                ds = "Alias to " + str(obj)
+        else:
             ds = getdoc(obj)
             if ds is None:
                 ds = '<no docstring>'

IPython/ipapi.py

@@ -335,6 +335,12 b' class IPApi:'
         Creates a new alias named 'bb' in ipython user namespace
         """
         
+        if callable(cmd):
+            self.IP.alias_table[name] = cmd
+            import IPython.shawodns
+            setattr(IPython.shadowns, name,cmd)
+            return
+            
         
         nargs = cmd.count('%s')
         if nargs>0 and cmd.find('%l')>=0:

IPython/iplib.py

@@ -6,7 +6,7 b' Requires Python 2.3 or newer.'
 
 This file contains all the classes and helper functions specific to IPython.
 
-$Id: iplib.py 2442 2007-06-14 21:20:10Z vivainio $
+$Id: iplib.py 2463 2007-06-27 22:51:16Z vivainio $
 """
 
 #*****************************************************************************
@@ -76,7 +76,7 b' from IPython.strdispatch import StrDispatch'
 import IPython.ipapi
 import IPython.history
 import IPython.prefilter as prefilter
-
+import IPython.shadowns
 # Globals
 
 # store the builtin raw_input globally, and use this always, in case user code
@@ -379,6 +379,7 b' class InteractiveShell(object,Magic):'
         self.user_ns['In']  = self.input_hist
         self.user_ns['Out'] = self.output_hist
 
+        self.user_ns['_sh'] = IPython.shadowns
         # Object variable to store code object waiting execution.  This is
         # used mainly by the multithreaded shells, but it can come in handy in
         # other situations.  No need to use a Queue here, since it's a single
@@ -2120,6 +2121,11 b' want to merge them back into the new files.""" % locals()'
 
     def handle_alias(self,line_info):
         """Handle alias input lines. """        
+        tgt = self.alias_table[line_info.iFun]
+        # print "=>",tgt #dbg
+        if callable(tgt):
+            line_out = "_sh." + line_info.iFun + '(r"""' + line_info.theRest + '""")'
+        else:
         transformed = self.expand_aliases(line_info.iFun,line_info.theRest)
 
         # pre is needed, because it carries the leading whitespace.  Otherwise

doc/ChangeLog

@@ -1,3 +1,17 b''
[phone]  Ville Vainio  <[e-mail]>
+
+	* shadowns.py, iplib.py, ipapi.py, OInspect.py:
+        Implement "shadow" namespace, and callable aliases that reside there.
+        Use them by:
+        
+        _ip.defalias('foo',myfunc) # creates _sh.foo that points to myfunc
+        
+        foo hello world
+         (gets translated to:)
+        _sh.foo(r"""hello world""")
+
+        In practice, this kind of alias can take the role of a magic function        
+
 2007-06-14  Ville Vainio  <[e-mail]>
 
 	* iplib.py (handle_auto): Try to use ascii for printing "--->"