add locate subcommands for IPython

IPython/core/profileapp.py

@@ -85,6 +85,8 b' ipython profile create foo --parallel # also stage parallel config files'
 _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
+
+ipython profile locate foo # print the path to the directory for profile 'foo'
 """
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -115,6 +117,18 b' def list_bundled_profiles():'
     return profiles
 
 
+class ProfileLocate(BaseIPythonApplication):
+    description = """print the path an IPython profile dir"""
+    
+    def parse_command_line(self, argv=None):
+        super(ProfileLocate, self).parse_command_line(argv)
+        if self.extra_args:
+            self.profile = self.extra_args[0]
+    
+    def start(self):
+        print self.profile_dir.location
+
+
 class ProfileList(Application):
     name = u'ipython-profile'
     description = list_help
@@ -277,8 +291,9 b' class ProfileApp(Application):'
     examples = _main_examples
 
     subcommands = Dict(dict(
-        create = (ProfileCreate, "Create a new profile dir with default config files"),
-        list = (ProfileList, "List existing profiles")
+        create = (ProfileCreate, ProfileCreate.description.splitlines()[0]),
+        list = (ProfileList, ProfileList.description.splitlines()[0]),
+        locate = (ProfileLocate, ProfileLocate.description.splitlines()[0]),
     ))
 
     def start(self):

IPython/frontend/terminal/ipapp.py

@@ -78,6 +78,9 b' ipython help notebook # show the help for the notebook subcmd'
 
 ipython profile create foo # create profile foo w/ default config files
 ipython help profile       # show the help for the profile subcmd
+
+ipython locate             # print the path to the IPython directory
+ipython locate profile foo # print the path to the directory for profile `foo`
 """
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -191,6 +194,21 b' aliases.update(dict('
 # Main classes and functions
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+
+class LocateIPythonApp(BaseIPythonApplication):
+    description = """print the path to the IPython dir"""
+    subcommands = Dict(dict(
+        profile=('IPython.core.profileapp.ProfileLocate',
+            "print the path to an IPython profile directory",
+        ),
+    ))
+    def start(self):
+        if self.subapp is not None:
+            return self.subapp.start()
+        else:
+            print self.ipython_dir
+
+
 class TerminalIPythonApp(BaseIPythonApplication, InteractiveShellApp):
     name = u'ipython'
     description = usage.cl_usage
@@ -230,6 +248,9 b' class TerminalIPythonApp(BaseIPythonApplication, InteractiveShellApp):'
         console=('IPython.frontend.terminal.console.app.ZMQTerminalIPythonApp',
             """Launch the IPython terminal-based Console."""
         ),
+        locate=('IPython.frontend.terminal.ipapp.LocateIPythonApp',
+            LocateIPythonApp.description
+        ),
     ))
 
     # *do* autocreate requested profile, but don't create the config file.