How to save a Python interactive session?

Question

I find myself frequently using Python's interpreter to work with databases, files, etc -- basically a lot of manual formatting of semi-structured data. I don't properly save and clean up the useful bits as often as I would like. Is there a way to save my input into the shell (db connections, variable assignments, little for loops and bits of logic) -- some history of the interactive session? If I use something like script I get too much stdout noise. I don't really need to pickle all the objects -- though if there is a solution that does that, it would be OK. Ideally I would just be left with a script that ran as the one I created interactively, and I could just delete the bits I didn't need. Is there a package that does this, or a DIY approach?

UPDATE: I am really amazed at the quality and usefulness of these packages. For those with a similar itch:

• IPython -- should have been using this for ages, kind of what I had in mind
• reinteract -- very impressive, I want to learn more about visualization and this seems like it will shine there. Sort of a gtk/gnome desktop app that renders graphs inline. Imagine a hybrid shell + graphing calculator + mini eclipse. Source distribution here: http://www.reinteract.org/trac/wiki/GettingIt . Built fine on Ubuntu, integrates into gnome desktop, Windows and Mac installers too.
• bpython -- extremely cool, lots of nice features, autocomplete(!), rewind, one keystroke save to file, indentation, well done. Python source distribution, pulled a couple of dependencies from sourceforge.

I am converted, these really fill a need between interpreter and editor.

Answer 1

As far as Linux goes, one can use script command to record the whole session. It is part of util-linux package so should be on most Linux systems . You can create and alias or function that will call script -c python and that will be saved to a typescript file. For instance, here's a reprint of one such file.

$ cat typescript                                                                                                      
Script started on Sat 14 May 2016 08:30:08 AM MDT
Python 2.7.6 (default, Jun 22 2015, 17:58:13) 
[GCC 4.8.2] on linux2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> print 'Hello Pythonic World'
Hello Pythonic World
>>> 

Script done on Sat 14 May 2016 08:30:42 AM MDT

Small disadvantage here is that the script records everything , even line-feeds, whenever you hit backspaces , etc. So you may want to use col to clean up the output (see this post on Unix&Linux Stackexchange) .

Answer 2

IPython is extremely useful if you like using interactive sessions. For example for your use-case there is the %save magic command, you just input %save my_useful_session 10-20 23 to save input lines 10 to 20 and 23 to my_useful_session.py (to help with this, every line is prefixed by its number).

Furthermore, the documentation states:

This function uses the same syntax as %history for input ranges, then saves the lines to the filename you specify.

This allows for example, to reference older sessions, such as

%save current_session ~0/
%save previous_session ~1/

Look at the videos on the presentation page to get a quick overview of the features.

Answer 3

I had to struggle to find an answer, I was very new to iPython environment.

This will work

If your iPython session looks like this

In [1] : import numpy as np
....
In [135]: counter=collections.Counter(mapusercluster[3])
In [136]: counter
Out[136]: Counter({2: 700, 0: 351, 1: 233})

You want to save lines from 1 till 135 then on the same ipython session use this command

In [137]: %save test.py 1-135

This will save all your python statements in test.py file in your current directory ( where you initiated the ipython).

Answer 4

there is another option --- pyslice. in the "wxpython 2.8 docs demos and tools", there is a open source program named "pyslices".

you can use it like a editor, and it also support using like a console ---- executing each line like a interactive interpreter with immediate echo.

of course, all the blocks of codes and results of each block will be recorded into a txt file automatically.

the results are logged just behind the corresponding block of code. very convenient.

Answer 5

The %history command is awesome, but unfortunately it won't let you save things that were %paste 'd into the sesh. To do that I think you have to do %logstart at the beginning (although I haven't confirmed this works).

What I like to do is

%history -o -n -p -f filename.txt

which will save the output, line numbers, and '>>>' before each input (o, n, and p options). See the docs for %history here.