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From: Peter Otten <__peter__@web.de>
Subject: Re: Tab-completion in tutorial
Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:25:13 +0100
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Xref: x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net comp.lang.python:19187

Steven D'Aprano wrote:

> I'm reading the part of the tutorial that talks about tab-completion, and
> I think the docs are wrong.
> 
> http://docs.python.org/tutorial/interactive.html#key-bindings
> 
> The "more capable startup file" example given claims:
> 
> # Add auto-completion and a stored history file of commands to your Python
> # interactive interpreter. Requires Python 2.0+, readline. Autocomplete is
> # bound to the Esc key by default (you can change it - see readline docs).
> 
> but I have tried it, and it doesn't seem to actually bind autocomplete to
> anything.
> 
> Is this a documentation bug, or am I doing something wrong?

I've just tried it on Kubuntu's konsole. I see strange reactions:
After typing "imp" I have to hit ESC three times before "ort" is added, and 
afterwards a character is swallowed. However, I can get the expected 
behaviour after binding the key explicitly with

>>> import readline
>>> readline.parse_and_bind("esc: complete")

I'm not sure whether Python is to blame or Ubuntu; it may be an interference 
with konsole's key bindings.