Is there a way to have a full REPL or console for vs code Python?

[cui-colin]

I find it extremely frustrating using terminal as a REPL. There is no console. It's not a real IDE. I hope to see something like Matlab or R have done.

The following is extremely inconvenient:

1. you can't highlight in terminal
2. shortcut like shift+left arrow which is used to highlight produces characters ;2D (see picture)
3. breaking from a loop using Ctrl+C sometimes exits Python, you have to invoke all over again.
4. The big fat cursor is ugly.

Essentially,
The Python extension just invokes Python from terminal. I mean, if I wanted the terminal experience, I'd do it with VIM. The whole point of VS Code Python is to step away from that.

I'm running:

• VS Code version: 1.33.1
• Extension version: 2019.3.6558
• OS and version: OS X
• Python version: 3.6.7

[rchiodo]

If you have jupyter installed, you can use our ipython based window instead:
https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/python/jupyter-support

I believe it does everything you just asked for.

[cui-colin]

@rchiodo, Jupyter is not an IDE! It looks pretty, but pretty useless. Cells in Jupyter are pointless, it's really for a company presentation. It's not for serious code development.

Anaconda comes with Jupyter Notebook. It's quicker and better. No need to download VS Code for it.

[rchiodo]

Sorry Jupyter is overloaded here. We are using jupyter to run an IPython console. That doc link talks about if you're using Jupyter already, you can now use VS Code. The initial audience was datascientists.

However it's really just an IPython console. Which is a REPL.

[rchiodo]

Jupyter is both an editor and a set of APIs that we use under the covers to talk to the same backend that the Jupyter editor uses.

[rchiodo]

And when I said you need Jupyter installed, you specifically need the jupyter python module and its dependencies.

pip install jupyter 

should do it.

[cui-colin]

I think it's quite stubborn to say you know what your users want.

It's also quite naive to tell users they must it your way. They will abandon your product.

I have Jupyter, it's not for serious programming. Also, I have Jupyter Notebook. It's works very nice, have you tried it?

[rchiodo]

I think you're misunderstanding my intent.

We have this:

I'm suggesting this UI will meet your needs.

If this doesn't meet your needs, are you willing to go into more depth on what you want?

[rchiodo]

That window on the right behaves as a live REPL. You can type into it, you get a history of what's run, etc.

[cui-colin]

If this doesn't meet your needs, are you willing to go into more depth on what you want?

I am just asking if the Python extension can be fixed up. The current REPL is Editor+Terminal combo. Python is invoked from Terminal.

Terminal interface is hard to work with. What I am asking is:

1. Highlight with left+shift keyboard combo actually works, not giving characters ;2D
2. Breaking from a loop using Ctrl+C does not exit Python
3. Aesthetic: have a cursor, not a bold black block

These are existing problems in the extension. Just include it in the next update.

BTW, why did you close the thread after my first post?

[rchiodo]

I closed this bug because I believed the window we have now would meet your needs.

It supports

• left+shift etc. Its editor is a full blown editor and not the weird terminal one line thing
• interrupt button (ctrl+c actually copies in the other repl).
• You can change the cursor. Actually you can change this already in the regular REPL. It's a setting (interactive terminal cursor I think)

We're not investing any effort into changing the VS code terminal, so I don't believe we can actually meet your original request.

If the new window doesn't work for you, can you explain why?

[rchiodo]

At some point the new 'Python Interactive' window will likely become the default REPL for all python code.

So knowing why doing this doesn't work for people would be great.

[rchiodo]

The marketplace is kinda confusing. The 'Jupyter' extension is not the owner of this window.

The 'Python Extension' owns the window you took a screenshot of.

Startup time is a problem we're trying to handle (all of it is starting the separate console in the background).

[cui-colin]

I actually just tried it---the Jupyter extension. Boy, it was very slow. It hung for a few seconds while importing numpy, there was no response. Multi-line code run did not run smoothly. (see picture for error message)

Also, the Marketplace says the Jupyter extension is no longer being maintained!