[See end for ** TIPS ] Click on the dotted line at the top of a menu to "tear it off": a separate window containing the menu is created. File Menu: New Window -- create a new editing window Open... -- open an existing file Recent Files... -- open a list of recent files Open Module... -- open an existing module (searches sys.path) Class Browser -- show classes and methods in current file Path Browser -- show sys.path directories, modules, classes and methods --- Save -- save current window to the associated file (unsaved windows have a * before and after the window title) Save As... -- save current window to new file, which becomes the associated file Save Copy As... -- save current window to different file without changing the associated file --- Print Window -- print the current window --- Close -- close current window (asks to save if unsaved) Exit -- close all windows and quit IDLE (asks to save if unsaved) Edit Menu: Undo -- Undo last change to current window (max 1000 changes) Redo -- Redo last undone change to current window --- Cut -- Copy selection into system-wide clipboard; then delete selection Copy -- Copy selection into system-wide clipboard Paste -- Insert system-wide clipboard into window Select All -- Select the entire contents of the edit buffer --- Find... -- Open a search dialog box with many options Find Again -- Repeat last search Find Selection -- Search for the string in the selection Find in Files... -- Open a search dialog box for searching files Replace... -- Open a search-and-replace dialog box Go to Line -- Ask for a line number and show that line Expand Word -- Expand the word you have typed to match another word in the same buffer; repeat to get a different expansion Format Menu (only in Edit window): Indent Region -- Shift selected lines right 4 spaces Dedent Region -- Shift selected lines left 4 spaces Comment Out Region -- Insert ## in front of selected lines Uncomment Region -- Remove leading # or ## from selected lines Tabify Region -- Turns *leading* stretches of spaces into tabs Untabify Region -- Turn *all* tabs into the right number of spaces New Indent Width... -- Open dialog to change indent width Format Paragraph -- Reformat the current blank-line-separated paragraph Run Menu (only in Edit window): Python Shell -- Open or wake up the Python shell window --- Check Module -- Run a syntax check on the module Run Script -- Execute the current file in the __main__ namespace Settings Menu: Configure IDLE -- Open a configuration dialog. Fonts, indentation, keybindings, and color themes may be altered. Startup preferences may be set. --- Revert to Default Settings -- Restore original settings Windows Menu: Zoom Height -- toggles the window between configured size and maximum height. --- The rest of this menu lists the names of all open windows; select one to bring it to the foreground (deiconifying it if necessary). Debug Menu (in the Python Shell window only): Go to File/Line -- look around the insert point for a filename and linenumber, open the file, and show the line Stack Viewer -- show the stack traceback of the last exception Debugger (toggle) -- Run commands in the shell under the debugger Auto-open Stack Viewer (toggle) -- Open stack viewer on traceback Help Menu: IDLE Help -- Display this file Python Documentation -- Access local Python documentation, if installed. Otherwise access python.org. Advice -- Emergency Only! IDLE Readme -- Background discussion and change details --- About IDLE --- Version, copyright, license, credits ** TIPS ======== Basic editing and navigation: Backspace deletes to the left; DEL deletes to the right Arrow keys and Page Up/Down to move around Home/End go to begin/end of line Control-Home/End go to begin/end of file Some Emacs or standard Windows bindings may work. Keybindings are selected in the Settings Dialog, look there. Automatic indentation: After a block-opening statement, the next line is indented by 4 spaces (in the Python Shell window by one tab). After certain keywords (break, return etc.) the next line is dedented. In leading indentation, Backspace deletes up to 4 spaces if they are there. Tab inserts spaces (in the Python Shell window one tab), number depends on Indent Width See also the indent/dedent region commands in the edit menu. Python Shell window: ^C interrupts executing command ^D sends end-of-file; closes window if typed at >>> prompt Command history: Alt-p retrieves previous command matching what you have typed Alt-n retrieves next Return while on any previous command retrieves that command Alt-/ (Expand word) is also useful here Syntax colors: The coloring is applied in a background "thread", so you may occasionally see uncolorized text. To change the color scheme, use the Settings/Highlighting dialog. Python default syntax colors: Keywords orange Strings green Comments red Definitions blue Shell default colors: Console output brown stdout blue stderr dark green stdin black Other preferences: The font preferences, keybinding, and startup preferences can be changed using the Settings dialog. Command line usage: Enter idle -h at the command prompt to get a usage message.