The Resurrection of Dr. Python

[mattyd]

About one month ago or so my Dr. Python compiler (interpreter) died. I had closed Dr. Python to go and eat dinner then came back to re-open and continued where I had stopped and... nothing. This came at a terrible time as I was in the middle of some very important code testing. I tried everything I could think of but did not have time to fix it nor was I sure how to. I opened IDLE and plugged away. IDLE worked, yes, but what I can say about it save for that it's better than nothing I guess. :-|

Python Mod vegaseat encouraged me to fix Dr. Python-- make it work. I tried, but gave up as I could not get any response. I was confused as to these errors so I continued with IDLE.

Today though, I thought I would give it one more try; I downloaded the latest version from SourceForge, unzipped it, and tried to run it. How I got it to open and work all centered around how it opened and with what program-- I will spare the details, but I think it has something to do with some sort of file and\or memory corruptions on my system. I opened it manually and it worked! I was so relieved. :cheesy:

The reason I am posting this is to encouarage other Python programmers to try Dr. Python if they have not yet. Dr. Python is:

• efficient and stable
• has a clean and simple (but not overly-simple) GUI

My production levels rise noticeably by using Dr. Python.

sharky_machine

[sneekula]

I have used DrPython for a while now and really like it! Comes in Windows and Linux versions. It has clean displays and a minimum of quirks (does not like foreign characters). There are lots of configuration options. The results are displayed in an output window, and you can select and copy items from there. You can also install the code completion plugin from the internet from within the DrPython. The code completion option is great help for a beginner.

[vegaseat]

I have used HapDebugger, Boa, PyScripter, IDLE, SPE and PythonWin, but always come back to DrPython. DrPython is still an active project and just a very pleasant IDE to use. Very easy on the disk space.

I also use a more general editor/IDE called ConText. That one allows me to run C code and Python code in parallel.

[Ene Uran]

I have used SPE for quite a while. No, it's not the "Society of Petroleum Engineers", but "Stani's Python Editor". For some odd reason it has vanished on the net.

Now I am starting to use DrPython, that one seems to be still quite active and just released a new version. Also played with PyScripter, very promissing, but not quite there yet.

[vegaseat]

I have given the Python Programming Editor (PyED) another trial and find the latest version positively fantastic!

Also not strictly an IDE, this is a very nice editor (written in Python/wxPython) with great features (multiple windows, syntax highlighting, find/replace, line numbers, autocomplete, macros, fold/expand functions and classes, bookmarks, todo, Python Shell, run your code, hotkeys, spellcheck, fonts, color and much more). Simply extract the zip file into your Python folder. Execute the program by running 'pype.pyw'. You can run your code with 'Run current file' and it will display in a nice output window (similar to the IDLE shell)
(written for Windows, but also tested on Linux, latest version PyPE-2.8-src.zip 12/14/2006)
http://pype.sourceforge.net/index.shtml

[jrcagle]

I have a friend who's been encouraging use of Eclipse. Any experience with that out there?

Jeff

[Matt Tacular]

I didn't even know there were things other than IDLE. I guess I never thought about searching for one. I am now giving Dr. Python a try and like it so far.

[Ene Uran]

I have a friend who's been encouraging use of Eclipse. Any experience with that out there?

Jeff

I heard that Eclipse is a huge system originally written for Java in Java. It is supposed to be really sluggish.

I have thoroughly tested both DrPython and PyPE for my coding needs, and personally like DrPython better. DrPython has more colors and fonts, is more intuitive than PyPE, and has a much better code assistant.

However PyPE is nice too and has a number of extras like a spell checker, trigger, and macro recorder. One interesting thing is that you send selected code to the Python shell. You can also call a command shell. Both those shells have copy and paste. With large code, the folding class and function option is real nice. As far as I can see PyPE also handles unicode better.

Maybe the two of them could get together and make one super product!