Lib/idlelib/help.txt

[See end for ** TIPS on using IDLE]

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

Shell Menu (only in Shell window):

	View Last Restart -- Scroll the shell window to the last restart
	Restart Shell -- Restart the interpreter with a fresh environment
        ---
	Go to File/Line -- look around the insert point for a filename
		           and linenumber, open the file, and show the line
	Debugger (toggle) -- Run commands in the shell under the debugger
	Stack Viewer -- show the stack traceback of the last exception
	Auto-open Stack Viewer (toggle) -- Open stack viewer on traceback

Options 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).

Help Menu:

        IDLE Help -- Display this file
	Python Documentation -- Access local Python documentation, if
                                installed.  Otherwise access python.org.
	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.