- add support for controlling the pylab threading mode directly at the

  command line, without having to modify MPL config files.
  
- Docs still to do!

test/test_shell_options.py

@@ -0,0 +1,94 b''
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+"""A few unit tests for the Shell module.
+"""
+
+from unittest import TestCase, main
+
+from IPython import Shell
+
+try:
+    import matplotlib
+    has_matplotlib = True
+except ImportError:
+    has_matplotlib = False
+
+class ShellTestBase(TestCase):
+    def _test(self,argv,ans):
+        shell = Shell._select_shell(argv)
+        err = 'Got %s != %s' % (shell,ans)
+        self.failUnlessEqual(shell,ans,err)
+
+class ArgsTestCase(ShellTestBase):
+    def test_plain(self):
+        self._test([],Shell.IPShell)
+
+    def test_tkthread(self):
+        self._test(['-tkthread'],Shell.IPShell)
+
+    def test_gthread(self):
+        self._test(['-gthread'],Shell.IPShellGTK)
+
+    def test_qthread(self):
+        self._test(['-qthread'],Shell.IPShellQt)
+
+    def test_q4thread(self):
+        self._test(['-q4thread'],Shell.IPShellQt4)
+
+    def test_wthread(self):
+        self._test(['-wthread'],Shell.IPShellWX)
+
+if has_matplotlib:
+    class MplArgsTestCase(ShellTestBase):
+        def setUp(self):
+            self.backend = matplotlib.rcParams['backend']
+
+        def tearDown(self):
+            matplotlib.rcParams['backend'] = self.backend
+
+        def _test(self,argv,ans):
+            shell = Shell._select_shell(argv)
+            err = 'Got %s != %s' % (shell,ans)
+            self.failUnlessEqual(shell,ans,err)
+
+        def test_tk(self):
+            matplotlib.rcParams['backend'] = 'TkAgg'
+            self._test(['-pylab'],Shell.IPShellMatplotlib)
+
+        def test_ps(self):
+            matplotlib.rcParams['backend'] = 'PS'
+            self._test(['-pylab'],Shell.IPShellMatplotlib)
+
+        def test_gtk(self):
+            matplotlib.rcParams['backend'] = 'GTKAgg'
+            self._test(['-pylab'],Shell.IPShellMatplotlibGTK)
+
+        def test_gtk_2(self):
+            self._test(['-gthread','-pylab'],Shell.IPShellMatplotlibGTK)
+            self.failUnlessEqual(matplotlib.rcParams['backend'],'GTKAgg')
+            
+        def test_qt(self):
+            matplotlib.rcParams['backend'] = 'QtAgg'
+            self._test(['-pylab'],Shell.IPShellMatplotlibQt)
+            
+        def test_qt_2(self):
+            self._test(['-qthread','-pylab'],Shell.IPShellMatplotlibQt)
+            self.failUnlessEqual(matplotlib.rcParams['backend'],'QtAgg')
+            
+        def test_qt4(self):
+            matplotlib.rcParams['backend'] = 'Qt4Agg'
+            self._test(['-pylab'],Shell.IPShellMatplotlibQt4)
+
+        def test_qt4_2(self):
+            self._test(['-q4thread','-pylab'],Shell.IPShellMatplotlibQt4)
+            self.failUnlessEqual(matplotlib.rcParams['backend'],'Qt4Agg')
+            
+        def test_wx(self):
+            matplotlib.rcParams['backend'] = 'WxAgg'
+            self._test(['-pylab'],Shell.IPShellMatplotlibWX)
+            
+        def test_wx_2(self):
+            self._test(['-pylab','-wthread'],Shell.IPShellMatplotlibWX)
+            self.failUnlessEqual(matplotlib.rcParams['backend'],'WXAgg')
+            
+
+main()

IPython/Shell.py

@@ -4,7 +4,7 b''
 All the matplotlib support code was co-developed with John Hunter,
 matplotlib's author.
 
-$Id: Shell.py 2764 2007-09-15 14:16:21Z darren.dale $"""
+$Id: Shell.py 2887 2007-12-12 08:28:43Z fperez $"""
 
 #*****************************************************************************
 #       Copyright (C) 2001-2006 Fernando Perez <[e-mail]>
@@ -1092,31 +1092,85 b' class IPShellMatplotlibQt4(IPShellQt4):'
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Factory functions to actually start the proper thread-aware shell
 
-def _matplotlib_shell_class():
-    """Factory function to handle shell class selection for matplotlib.
+def _select_shell(argv):
+    """Select a shell from the given argv vector.
 
-    The proper shell class to use depends on the matplotlib backend, since
-    each backend requires a different threading strategy."""
+    This function implements the threading selection policy, allowing runtime
+    control of the threading mode, both for general users and for matplotlib.
 
-    try:
-        import matplotlib
-    except ImportError:
-        error('matplotlib could NOT be imported!  Starting normal IPython.')
-        sh_class = IPShell
-    else:
-        backend = matplotlib.rcParams['backend']
-        if backend.startswith('GTK'):
-            sh_class = IPShellMatplotlibGTK
-        elif backend.startswith('WX'):
-            sh_class = IPShellMatplotlibWX
-        elif backend.startswith('Qt4'):
-            sh_class = IPShellMatplotlibQt4
-        elif backend.startswith('Qt'):
-            sh_class = IPShellMatplotlibQt
+    Return:
+      Shell class to be instantiated for runtime operation.
+    """
+    
+    global USE_TK
+
+    mpl_shell = {'gthread' : IPShellMatplotlibGTK,
+                 'wthread' : IPShellMatplotlibWX,
+                 'qthread' : IPShellMatplotlibQt,
+                 'q4thread' : IPShellMatplotlibQt4,
+                 'tkthread' : IPShellMatplotlib,  # Tk is built-in
+                 }
+
+    th_shell = {'gthread' : IPShellGTK,
+                'wthread' : IPShellWX,
+                'qthread' : IPShellQt,
+                'q4thread' : IPShellQt4,
+                'tkthread' : IPShell, # Tk is built-in
+                }
+
+    backends = {'gthread' : 'GTKAgg',
+                'wthread' : 'WXAgg',
+                'qthread' : 'QtAgg',
+                'q4thread' :'Qt4Agg',
+                'tkthread' :'TkAgg',
+                }
+
+    all_opts = set(['tk','pylab','gthread','qthread','q4thread','wthread',
+                    'tkthread'])
+    user_opts = set([s.replace('-','') for s in argv[:3]])
+    special_opts = user_opts & all_opts
+
+    if 'tk' in special_opts:
+        USE_TK = True
+        special_opts.remove('tk')
+
+    if 'pylab' in special_opts:
+
+        try:
+            import matplotlib
+        except ImportError:
+            error('matplotlib could NOT be imported!  Starting normal IPython.')
+            return IPShell
+        
+        special_opts.remove('pylab')
+        # If there's any option left, it means the user wants to force the
+        # threading backend, else it's auto-selected from the rc file
+        if special_opts:
+            th_mode = special_opts.pop()
+            matplotlib.rcParams['backend'] = backends[th_mode]
         else:
-            sh_class = IPShellMatplotlib
-    #print 'Using %s with the %s backend.' % (sh_class,backend) # dbg
-    return sh_class
+            backend = matplotlib.rcParams['backend']
+            if backend.startswith('GTK'):
+                th_mode = 'gthread'
+            elif backend.startswith('WX'):
+                th_mode = 'wthread'
+            elif backend.startswith('Qt4'):
+                th_mode = 'q4thread'
+            elif backend.startswith('Qt'):
+                th_mode = 'qthread'
+            else:
+                # Any other backend, use plain Tk
+                th_mode = 'tkthread'
+                
+        return mpl_shell[th_mode]
+    else:
+        # No pylab requested, just plain threads
+        try:
+            th_mode = special_opts.pop()
+        except KeyError:
+            th_mode = 'tkthread'
+        return th_shell[th_mode]
+
 
 # This is the one which should be called by external code.
 def start(user_ns = None):
@@ -1126,29 +1180,7 b' def start(user_ns = None):'
     based on the user's threading choice.  Such a selector is needed because
     different GUI toolkits require different thread handling details."""
 
-    global USE_TK
-    # Crude sys.argv hack to extract the threading options.
-    argv = sys.argv
-    if len(argv) > 1:
-        if len(argv) > 2:
-            arg2 = argv[2]
-            if arg2.endswith('-tk'):
-                USE_TK = True
-        arg1 = argv[1]
-        if arg1.endswith('-gthread'):
-            shell = IPShellGTK
-        elif arg1.endswith( '-qthread' ):
-            shell = IPShellQt
-        elif arg1.endswith( '-q4thread' ):
-            shell = IPShellQt4
-        elif arg1.endswith('-wthread'):
-            shell = IPShellWX
-        elif arg1.endswith('-pylab'):
-            shell = _matplotlib_shell_class()
-        else:
-            shell = IPShell
-    else:
-        shell = IPShell
+    shell = _select_shell(sys.argv)
     return shell(user_ns = user_ns)
 
 # Some aliases for backwards compatibility

IPython/ipmaker.py

@@ -6,7 +6,7 b' Requires Python 2.1 or better.'
 
 This file contains the main make_IPython() starter function.
 
-$Id: ipmaker.py 2873 2007-11-25 18:01:55Z fperez $"""
+$Id: ipmaker.py 2887 2007-12-12 08:28:43Z fperez $"""
 
 #*****************************************************************************
 #       Copyright (C) 2001-2006 Fernando Perez. <[e-mail]>
@@ -178,7 +178,7 b" object? -> Details about 'object'. ?object also works, ?? prints more."
     # The "ignore" option is a kludge so that Emacs buffers don't crash, since
     # the 'C-c !' command in emacs automatically appends a -i option at the end.
     cmdline_only = ('help interact|i ipythondir=s Version upgrade '
-                    'gthread! qthread! q4thread! wthread! pylab! tk!')
+                    'gthread! qthread! q4thread! wthread! tkthread! pylab! tk!')
 
     # Build the actual name list to be used by DPyGetOpt
     opts_names = qw(cmdline_opts) + qw(cmdline_only)

doc/ChangeLog

@@ -1,3 +1,10 b''
[phone]  Fernando Perez  <[e-mail]>
+
+	* IPython/Shell.py (_select_shell): add support for controlling
+	the pylab threading mode directly at the command line, without
+	having to modify MPL config files.  Added unit tests for this
+	feature, though manual/docs update is still pending, will do later.
+
 2007-12-01  Robert Kern  <[e-mail]>
 
 	* IPython/ultraTB.py (findsource): Improve the monkeypatch to