color settings from ipythonqt propagate down to the ZMQInteractiveShell in the Kernel

IPython/frontend/qt/console/ipython_widget.py

@@ -330,24 +330,27 b' class IPythonWidget(FrontendWidget):'
     # 'IPythonWidget' interface
     #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-    def set_default_style(self, colors='light'):
+    def set_default_style(self, colors='lightbg'):
         """ Sets the widget style to the class defaults.
 
         Parameters:
         -----------
-        colors : str, optional (default light)
+        colors : str, optional (default lightbg)
             Whether to use the default IPython light background or dark
             background or B&W style.
         """
-        if colors=='light':
+        colors = colors.lower()
+        if colors=='lightbg':
             self.style_sheet = default_light_style_sheet
             self.syntax_style = default_light_syntax_style
-        elif colors=='dark':
+        elif colors=='linux':
             self.style_sheet = default_dark_style_sheet
             self.syntax_style = default_dark_syntax_style
-        elif colors=='bw':
+        elif colors=='nocolor':
             self.style_sheet = default_bw_style_sheet
             self.syntax_style = default_bw_syntax_style
+        else:
+            raise KeyError("No such color scheme: %s"%colors)
 
     #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
     # 'IPythonWidget' protected interface

IPython/frontend/qt/console/ipythonqt.py

@@ -155,11 +155,30 b' def main():'
     wgroup.add_argument('--stylesheet', type=str,
                         help="path to a custom CSS stylesheet.")
     wgroup.add_argument('--colors', type=str,
-                        help="Set the color scheme (light, dark, or bw). This is guessed\
+                        help="Set the color scheme (LightBG,Linux,NoColor). This is guessed\
                         based on the pygments style if not set.")
 
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
+    # parse the colors arg down to current known labels
+    if args.colors:
+        colors=args.colors.lower()
+        if colors in ('lightbg', 'light'):
+            colors='lightbg'
+        elif colors in ('dark', 'linux'):
+            colors='linux'
+        else:
+            colors='nocolor'
+    elif args.style:
+        if args.style=='bw':
+            colors='nocolor'
+        elif styles.dark_style(args.style):
+            colors='linux'
+        else:
+            colors='lightbg'
+    else:
+        colors=None
+
     # Don't let Qt or ZMQ swallow KeyboardInterupts.
     import signal
     signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, signal.SIG_DFL)
@@ -172,13 +191,15 b' def main():'
     if not args.existing:
         # if not args.ip in LOCAL_IPS+ALL_ALIAS:
         #     raise ValueError("Must bind a local ip, such as: %s"%LOCAL_IPS)
-        
+
         kwargs = dict(ip=args.ip)
         if args.pure:
             kwargs['ipython']=False
-        elif args.pylab:
-            kwargs['pylab']=args.pylab
-            
+        else:
+            kwargs['colors']=colors
+            if args.pylab:
+                kwargs['pylab']=args.pylab
+
         kernel_manager.start_kernel(**kwargs)
     kernel_manager.start_channels()
 
@@ -197,23 +218,9 b' def main():'
 
     # configure the style:
     if not args.pure: # only IPythonWidget supports styles
-        # parse the colors arg down to current known labels
-        if args.colors:
-            colors=args.colors.lower()
-            if colors in ('lightbg', 'light'):
-                colors='light'
-            elif colors in ('dark', 'linux'):
-                colors='dark'
-            else:
-                colors='nocolor'
-        else:
-            colors=None
-        lightbg = colors != 'linux'
-
         if args.style:
-            # guess whether it's a dark style:
             widget.syntax_style = args.style
-            widget.style_sheet = styles.sheet_from_template(args.style, lightbg)
+            widget.style_sheet = styles.sheet_from_template(args.style, colors)
             widget._syntax_style_changed()
             widget._style_sheet_changed()
         elif colors:

IPython/frontend/qt/console/styles.py

@@ -106,12 +106,12 b' def get_colors(stylename):'
         fgcolor = fgcolor
     )
 
-def sheet_from_template(name, colors='light'):
+def sheet_from_template(name, colors='lightbg'):
     """Use one of the base templates, and set bg/fg/select colors."""
     colors = colors.lower()
-    if colors=='light':
+    if colors=='lightbg':
         return default_light_style_template%get_colors(name)
-    elif colors=='dark':
+    elif colors=='linux':
         return default_dark_style_template%get_colors(name)
     elif colors=='nocolor':
         return default_bw_style_sheet

IPython/zmq/ipkernel.py

@@ -535,7 +535,7 b' class GTKKernel(Kernel):'
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 def launch_kernel(ip=None, xrep_port=0, pub_port=0, req_port=0, hb_port=0,
-                  independent=False, pylab=False):
+                  independent=False, pylab=False, colors=None):
     """Launches a localhost kernel, binding to the specified ports.
 
     Parameters
@@ -566,6 +566,9 b' def launch_kernel(ip=None, xrep_port=0, pub_port=0, req_port=0, hb_port=0,'
         string is passed, matplotlib will use the specified backend. Otherwise,
         matplotlib's default backend will be used.
 
+    colors : None or string, optional (default None)
+        If not None, specify the color scheme. One of (NoColor, LightBG, Linux)
+
     Returns
     -------
     A tuple of form:
@@ -581,6 +584,9 b' def launch_kernel(ip=None, xrep_port=0, pub_port=0, req_port=0, hb_port=0,'
         extra_arguments.append('--ip')
         if isinstance(ip, basestring):
             extra_arguments.append(ip)
+    if colors is not None:
+        extra_arguments.append('--colors')
+        extra_arguments.append(colors)
     return base_launch_kernel('from IPython.zmq.ipkernel import main; main()',
                               xrep_port, pub_port, req_port, hb_port, 
                               independent, extra_arguments)
@@ -595,6 +601,10 b' def main():'
 "Pre-load matplotlib and numpy for interactive use. If GUI is not \
 given, the GUI backend is matplotlib's, otherwise use one of: \
 ['tk', 'gtk', 'qt', 'wx', 'inline'].")
+    parser.add_argument('--colors',
+        type=str, dest='colors',
+        help="Set the color scheme (NoColor, Linux, and LightBG).",
+        metavar='ZMQInteractiveShell.colors')
     namespace = parser.parse_args()
 
     kernel_class = Kernel
@@ -616,6 +626,8 b" given, the GUI backend is matplotlib's, otherwise use one of: \\"
         if kernel_class is None:
             raise ValueError('GUI is not supported: %r' % gui)
         pylabtools.activate_matplotlib(backend)
+    if namespace.colors:
+        ZMQInteractiveShell.colors=namespace.colors
 
     kernel = make_kernel(namespace, kernel_class, OutStream)