[IPython-user] The cursor keys problem under solaris

[Justin Walker]

On Dec 21, 2004, at 3:03, Xia Lei wrote:

>     I installed ipython under python 2.2.2 on solaris platform. It 
> bothered
> me that the arrow keys and tab keys don't work. When I press left 
> arrow,
> there will be a '^[[D' code appear in the shell, The shell seems don't
> recognize left arrow/right arrow/tab key which I expect to use in 
> iPython.
> Do yo have any idea on how to solve this problem?

This support is usually provided by libreadline, and it is possible 
that the version of python compiled for your system did not include 
that functionality.

You can determine whether python has libreadline support by doing 
(something like) the following (I'm using 'bash' as my shell):

$ type python
/usr/local/bin/python
$ ldd /usr/local/bin/python
...long list of libraries...

If readline is not in the list, python on your doesn't handle arrow 
keys or other "emacs-like" keystrokes.

Regards,

Justin

--
Justin C. Walker, Curmudgeon-At-Large  *
Institute for General Semantics        | "Weaseling out of things is 
what
                                        |  separates us from the animals.
                                        |  Well, except the weasel."
                                        |        - Homer J Simpson
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