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IDLE: Integrate external code analysis tools #62904
Description
| BPO | 18704 |
|---|---|
| Nosy | @rhettinger, @terryjreedy, @ezio-melotti, @rovitotv |
| Superseder | |
| Files |
Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.
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GitHub fields:
assignee = None
closed_at = <Date 2013-09-15.16:42:14.318>
created_at = <Date 2013-08-10.22:17:20.399>
labels = ['expert-IDLE', 'type-feature']
title = 'IDLE: Integrate external code analysis tools'
updated_at = <Date 2015-04-12.02:59:59.314>
user = 'https://bugs.python.org/JayKrish'bugs.python.org fields:
activity = <Date 2015-04-12.02:59:59.314>
actor = 'Al.Sweigart'
assignee = 'none'
closed = True
closed_date = <Date 2013-09-15.16:42:14.318>
closer = 'rhettinger'
components = ['IDLE']
creation = <Date 2013-08-10.22:17:20.399>
creator = 'JayKrish'
dependencies = []
files = ['31221']
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 18704
keywords = ['patch']
message_count = 13.0
messages = ['194841', '194874', '195048', '195383', '195676', '195677', '195700', '195711', '195743', '197778', '197785', '197901', '240526']
nosy_count = 8.0
nosy_names = ['rhettinger', 'terry.reedy', 'ezio.melotti', 'Todd.Rovito', 'Ramchandra Apte', 'Al.Sweigart', 'JayKrish', 'philwebster']
pr_nums = []
priority = 'normal'
resolution = 'rejected'
stage = 'patch review'
status = 'closed'
superseder = '21880'
type = 'enhancement'
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue18704'
versions = ['Python 3.4']
Activity
JayKrish commentedon Aug 10, 2013
This is to create an IDLE extension that would integrate PEP-8 (Syntax Style Checker https://pypi.python.org/pypi/pep8 ) into the IDLE editor window,so the developer who is using the IDLE editor can quickly and frequently check the PEP-8 standards of the code which is being developed in an IDLE editor window. Many modern IDE's have not only syntax highlighting but on the fly syntax checking.
Python ensures the quality of code with its own standards implemented as PEP-8. The tool PEP-8 checks Python code against some of the style conventions in PEP-8. Also the PEP-8 standardization should not be a ‘must emphasizing’ for a python developer, therefore configuring PEP-8 to enable/disable errors and warning in various levels should be implemented.
The implementation work is started by Todd at https://bitbucket.org/rovitotv/pythonpatches/src/fae1fdab936043ec35db541808f5789325762fb3/PEP8CheckExtension.patch?at=default
The submitted patch is an effort started from Todd's patch as an example.
The IDLE with this patch will show PEP-8 style check toggle menu in Options.
Once PEP-8 check enabled the current module is checked by PEP-8 tool and the defects will be shown in a extended left pane.
Defect codes will be listed as a Buttons, button click leads to highlighting the line and column of the defect and scroll editor window if needed.
It is expected that the developer will correct the defect with the help of the message and eventually press the Resolve button,which refresh the pane.
This is an initial work and I am looking forward for suggestions on improvements and mistakes of this patch.
RamchandraApte commentedon Aug 11, 2013
I like the idea of having a PEP-8-checker for IDLE.
rhettinger commentedon Aug 13, 2013
-1 on giving PEP-8 any more weight than it already has.
Automated PEP-8 checker tools do away the human commen sense component (the foolish consistency quote is in PEP-8 for a reason).
Another downside is that rigid adherence to PEP-8 tends to focus beginners on the least important aspects of code quality. We would be much better-off with integration of PyFlakes or a similar tool that focus on actual semantic errors in the code.
ezio-melotti commentedon Aug 16, 2013
Can't this be developed as an external extension?
I don't see a reason to include it in the stdlib, especially if it requires other dependencies (like the PEP-8 module).
rovitotv commentedon Aug 20, 2013
Ezio,
I think modern editors are expected to have this sort of functionality built into them [1]. XCode is simply amazing where it will pop up errors and quote the C99 standard [2]. We don't expect IDLE to have all that functionality but it seemed to us like it would be great to add PEP-8 or PyFlakes to IDLE. It is possible we could create an extension but that would void Python's motto "batteries included". In addition tools like PEP-8 and PyFlakes could be useful for other purposes as well. JayKrish is checking with the authors of PEP-8 about license issues. As always we will defer to the judgement of Core Developers and could pursue either option.
[1] Wikipeida Microsoft Visual Studio, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Visual_Studio#Code_editor
[2] XCode, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XCode
rovitotv commentedon Aug 20, 2013
Raymond,
Would you prefer PyFlakes instead? Try to consider IDLE being for beginners so they need all the help they can get. Advanced users can always turn the extension off. Thanks for your input.
ezio-melotti commentedon Aug 20, 2013
Mine doesn't :)
That's a standard though, the ones in PEP-8 are just conventions/guidelines/suggestions.
AFAIU PyFlakes should be able to catch actual problems with the code -- not just simply suggesting a particular style -- so it would be a better candidate.
Often editors are able to download extensions automatically from a central place, without having to ship them all by default. Doing this is probably more work though, but on the other hand it would be more flexible.
Are you suggesting to include it directly in the stdlib, and not as part of IDLE?
Note that that's not the only issue. Even if the license is OK, before inclusion we would have to make sure that the module meets the quality standards for the repo and that the author is still active and willing to maintain it for at least a few years in the CPython repo. A PEP would likely be required, especially if the module gets included directly in the stdlib (as opposed as including it just in IDLE). This also means that external development of the module should stop and move to the stdlib, and follow the release schedule of Python instead of release whenever they want (in theory they could maintain both, but it's more work).
terryjreedy commentedon Aug 20, 2013
Summary:
I am in favor of making more Python code analysis available from within Idle. I have an alternate, more generalized proposal. I am opposed to this specific proposal and think this issue should be closed.
Alternatives: when and how to analyze.
Local analysis as the user types ('on the fly'). One example is smart indentation, which includes conversion of \t to spaces (this is PEP-8 enforcement!) and backspace to multiple deletes. Others are calltips and code completion. We might consider doing a bit more syntax checking, but would have to be very careful about style enforcement.
Block or whole file analysis within the text widget upon user request. Examples include search, reformatting, and whitespace stripping. The result is shown within the text widget (except for the bug on Windows that search still does not highlight found results while the dialog is active).
Analysis of one or more external files with Idle code. 'Find in Files' applies one pattern to file names and another to lines within found files and presents hits in an output (editor) window. The output lines contain file name, line number, and code line formatted so that right click, 'Go to file/line' opens the file if necessary and jumps to the indicated line.
Analysis of the saved editor file with external code. 'Run' (normally) does this (and more), with the complication that a socket rather than stdio streams are used for communication. Results appear in the shell window. Although tracebacks put file name and line number on one line and code on the next, 'Go to file/line' works when either is right-clicked. (Although Run now uses the same interpreter that is running Idle, this does not necessarily have to be so.)
Proposal: Run with ...
What I would like to see is a generic option to save and run the current window with appropriate external programs. This proposal combines ideas from 3. and 4. above. The interface would be the addition of 'Run with ...' to the Run menu. Selecting that would bring up a submenu.
I would use subprocess to start the program (as is done with Run now). A command-line template would be needed for each supported external program. Unlike Run, subprocess would be used to capture stdout and stderr, as needed. The filtered output would be presented in a new Output Window, as done with Find-in-Files.
To me, the main value-added of doing this from Idle is being able to jump from output chunks to targets in an editor window for possible editing. I would only officially support external programs for which this is sensible, whose output includes line numbers and messages for possible action. Each supported program would need an output filter function to add the filename (if not present) to the line number and message and otherwise format as needed.
This proposal needs more details. how are external programs located if installed? (Ezio suggested the possibility of easy download and installation if not. I would start with instructions in the docs.) How is the submenu populated. How might users add templates and filter functions for programs not supported? Such program might include locally written programs. There should be a PEP or at least PEP-like specification. Since the only stdlib addition would be to idlelib, backporting could be considered.
What I think is wrong with the current proposal.
There is no specification.
It is limited to one category of analysis. Within that category, it 'plays favorites' by picking a winner. I think users should be able to use whatever style analysis program they have already chosen, with the configuration options they have already selected. Not yet mentioned here are PyLint and PyChecker.
Rather than pick the 'best of breed' (if there is one), it picks what some would consider to be the 'worst of breed'. The PEP-8 module, or at least the way it has been used, violates PEP-8 by treating guidelines as rigid rules, even though PEP-8 says not to do that. Some of the recent edits to PEP-8 were intended to counteract the negative effect of this module.
It proposes to add an external program to the stdlib without the needed PEP. I believe the idea of adding one of PyChecker, PyFlakes, and PyLint has already been rejected for multiple reasons (there is no winner, these are apps or tools, not library 'batteries', they are better off maintained where they are, we cannot maintain what we already have, etc.). The fact that these programs have (or should have) persistent configuration and customization files shows that they are apps, like Idle, and not library modules.
It proposes to add the external program in the wrong place. Idlelib should only contain Idle-specific code. Need I add that Idle is also under-maintained?
My proposal would start with a specification, would allow user choice, would generalize to other categories and programs (spell checking?), would not expand the stdlib, and would only add idle-specific glue code to idlelib.
RamchandraApte commentedon Aug 21, 2013
Agree with Terry Reedy.
JayKrish commentedon Sep 15, 2013
Thanks for showing great interest on this idea.
As usual, it seems this will going to be another nice project with IDLE for me. Better to close this issue then, and create an appropriate initiation with the suggested points(preferring a commencement by core developers).
Anyway to keep in touch with the Python analyzing and related tools, I have initiated a separate project with porting the works done on the patch here https://github.com/Jay-Krish/IDLEAnalyzer.
I Hope this will help further while working on this project.
rhettinger commentedon Sep 15, 2013
[TJR]
[Ramchandra Apte]
[R. Jayakrishnan]
I agree as well.
JayKrish commentedon Sep 16, 2013
I would prefer this issue concludes with a navigation to the new proposed enhancement.
[-]IDLE: PEP8 Style Check Integration[/-][+]IDLE: Integrate external code analysis tools[/+]AlSweigart commentedon Apr 12, 2015
-1 on adding PEP-8 checks. PEP-8 is a guideline, and having IDLE present them as warnings or errors elevates their importance.
Also, this would involve adding the PEP-8 dependency to the standard library.
A linter might be a good idea, but not a style checker.