Better console for Windows?

[Brett Hoerner]

This is a pretty basic, mostly un-python-related question, although I'm
asking because of Python.

Is there a different shell I can use (other than cmd.com) to run Python
in, where I can full-screen the window (if I pleased), etc? As it is,
things that would run far off the right have to be word wrapped after
very few characters.

Another problem with cmd.com is when I run IPython, if I have an error,
or tab or anything, I get the speaker beep (ala linux) but I can't find
a way to turn it off. This is a huge problem because I cannot disable
my system speaker on my laptop (not even in BIOS like my old one, and
it's an "error", it bypasses the fact that all my sound is muted in
Windows) and I get incredibly loud beeps all the time (because I suck)
which would not be acceptable while I'm coding on the sly in boring
class.

Ideas? The only thing I can think of now is using Putty to SSH into a
machine, no beeps there, and I can resize... but I don't have a machine
to SSH into, much less one with all the stuff I want on it.

Thanks in advance.
Brett

 

[Rune Strand]

Another problem with cmd.com is when I run IPython, if I have an error,
or tab or anything, I get the speaker beep (ala linux) but I can't find
a way to turn it off. This is a huge problem because I cannot disable
my system speaker on my laptop (not even in BIOS like my old one, and
it's an "error", it bypasses the fact that all my sound is muted in
Windows) and I get incredibly loud beeps all the time (because I suck)
which would not be acceptable while I'm coding on the sly in boring
class.

I know that problem... it's extremely annoying!
Here's one way to solve it;

1. Start 'Device manager'.
2. On the menu, click 'View' and check off "Show hidden devices"
3. Locate 'Beep' 'under Non-Plug and Play Drivers'
4. Right-click 'Beep', select 'Disable'

 

[Brett Hoerner]

I know that problem... it's extremely annoying!
Here's one way to solve it;

1. Start 'Device manager'.
2. On the menu, click 'View' and check off "Show hidden devices"
3. Locate 'Beep' 'under Non-Plug and Play Drivers'
4. Right-click 'Beep', select 'Disable'

Christ, thanks. When you install Windows it should pop up first thing
and ask if you want to be annoyed, Y/N.

Well, that solves my sound problem (thanks again), now if only I could
stretch the window horizontally. Thats much less of a problem though,
this is at least usable now.

Thanks again, Rune

 

[Nicolas Fleury]

This is a pretty basic, mostly un-python-related question, although I'm
asking because of Python.

Is there a different shell I can use (other than cmd.com) to run Python
in, where I can full-screen the window (if I pleased), etc? As it is,
things that would run far off the right have to be word wrapped after
very few characters.

I don't know if you absolutely want a shell, but if what you want is a
Python interactive prompt, I find PyShell coming with wxPython really
nice. It has autocompletion and support copy-paste with/without the
preceding >>>.

Regards,
Nicolas

 

[Benji York]

Is there a different shell I can use (other than cmd.com) to run Python
in, where I can full-screen the window (if I pleased), etc? As it is,
things that would run far off the right have to be word wrapped after
very few characters.

To make the console full screen hit Alt-Enter. The same thing makes it
windowed again. To accommodate very long lines click the "C:\" icon in
the upper left corner of the window, choose "Properties" and then change
the "Screen Buffer Size" Width and Height to something more to your liking.

While you're there I'd recommend turning on "QuickEdit Mode" on the
"Options" tab. Then you can drag with your left mouse button to select
an area of text, right click to copy, then right click again to paste.

 

[Brett Hoerner]

To make the console full screen hit Alt-Enter. The same thing makes it
windowed again. To accommodate very long lines click the "C:\" icon in
the upper left corner of the window, choose "Properties" and then change
the "Screen Buffer Size" Width and Height to something more to your liking.

While you're there I'd recommend turning on "QuickEdit Mode" on the
"Options" tab. Then you can drag with your left mouse button to select
an area of text, right click to copy, then right click again to paste.

Thanks very much, not sure why I always missed those. I guess I was
just frustrated in general. This will make python a lot more
enjoyable.

Brett

 

[Philippe C. Martin]

Hi,

You might want to check out ipyhton.

http://ipython.scipy.org

Regards,

Philippe

 

[Brett Hoerner]

You might want to check out ipyhton.

I use it. I love it. When I meant console I meant the shell app
that runs any text-based programs. The windows console was giving me
loud beeps, etc, which I've now fixed.

Thanks for your reply though,
Brett

 

[Philippe C. Martin]

Ho!

I thought the shell commands in ipython (cd, lx ....) might cut it.

Regards,

Philippe

 

[Rune Strand]

Annoyed by windows? Check this URL:
http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/category01

;-)

 

[Christos TZOTZIOY Georgiou]

Christ, thanks. When you install Windows it should pop up first thing
and ask if you want to be annoyed, Y/N.

When you agree to the EULA of Windows, you implicitly say yes to "do you
want to be annoyed"?

Well, that solves my sound problem (thanks again), now if only I could
stretch the window horizontally. Thats much less of a problem though,
this is at least usable now.

Hm... right-click the cmd.exe window's title bar (or click on the
top-left icon, or press Alt-Space), go to Properties, Layout tab, Window
Size, Width.

 

[Richie Hindle]

[Christos, on widening the Windows Command Prompt]

Hm... right-click the cmd.exe window's title bar (or click on the
top-left icon, or press Alt-Space), go to Properties, Layout tab, Window
Size, Width.

Just to take this thread *completely* off-topic: does anyone know of a way
to scroll a Command Prompt window using the keyboard?

 

[Thorsten Kampe]

* Brett Hoerner (2005-06-28 03:44 +0100)

Is there a different shell I can use (other than cmd.com) to run Python
in [...]

Holy snake, are you running command.com?! Throw away your Windows 3.11
computer and start using cmd.exe.

Another problem with cmd.com is when I run IPython, if I have an error,
or tab or anything, I get the speaker beep (ala linux) but I can't find
a way to turn it off.

Use rxvt (Cygwin).


Thorsten

 

[Brian]

The alt-enter tip is handy, although I must say on multiple monitors
it's not so helpful. It full screens all of them (cloned across
screens), at least on my nVidia card. I'm sure you're all sympathizing
with my multiple monitor problem ;-)

 

[Tom Anderson]

Rune Strand wrote:

Christ, thanks. When you install Windows it should pop up first thing
and ask if you want to be annoyed, Y/N.

What, and not install if you say no?

Perhaps your best way to get a proper shell on windows is just to install
a proper shell; Cygwin (<http://www.cygwin.com/>) has bash, but it also
installs a bunch of other unixish stuff you might or might not want. This:

http://www.steve.org.uk/Software/bash/

looks like a standalone bash, plus ls, mv, cp rm, chmod and less. Here:

http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages.html

you can get various further bits of free software compiled for windows,
including:

http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/coreutils.htm

the GNU coreutils, which is the 1% of commands you use 99% of the time.
bash + coreutils should do nicely. For a mostly complete GNU development
toolchain, check out MinGW:

http://www.mingw.org/

Which, IMHO, is a better solution than Cygwin for general programming.

tom

 

[Thorsten Kampe]

* Richie Hindle (2005-06-28 14:44 +0100)

[Christos, on widening the Windows Command Prompt]

Hm... right-click the cmd.exe window's title bar (or click on the
top-left icon, or press Alt-Space), go to Properties, Layout tab, Window
Size, Width.

Just to take this thread *completely* off-topic: does anyone know of a way
to scroll a Command Prompt window using the keyboard?

[Shift+PageUp/Down]: rxvt (Cywin). Unfortunately only per page; if you
want to scroll one line you have to use the scrollbar.

 

[Christos TZOTZIOY Georgiou]

Just to take this thread *completely* off-topic: does anyone know of a way
to scroll a Command Prompt window using the keyboard?

This comparison page suggests there is no keyboard shortcut to scroll:

http://www.xvsxp.com/power_user/terminal/

 

[Dave Benjamin]

Is there a different shell I can use (other than cmd.com) to run Python
in, where I can full-screen the window (if I pleased), etc? As it is,
things that would run far off the right have to be word wrapped after
very few characters.

I have a pretty exotic setup but I like it a lot. I use Konsole with
Cygwin and the KDE release for Cygwin (that's the only part of KDE that
I use). I love Konsole's tabbed virtual terminals. You can also get
tabbed virtual terminals with mrxvt, which isn't quite so heavyweight,
but Konsole is the most user-friendly terminal I've ever used.

And on top of that, I run emacs, pull up a shell with M-x shell, and
then I can run any program I want, including Python and Jython, and
freely cut and paste between the command line and my editor window.

As far as the beeps go, I go for any "silent bell" option I can find,
and pick the "No sounds" theme in the "Sounds and Audio Devices" control
panel.

Dave

 

[Bengt Richter]

[Christos, on widening the Windows Command Prompt]

Hm... right-click the cmd.exe window's title bar (or click on the
top-left icon, or press Alt-Space), go to Properties, Layout tab, Window
Size, Width.

Just to take this thread *completely* off-topic: does anyone know of a way
to scroll a Command Prompt window using the keyboard?

Alt-spacebar, e, l, (uparrow/downarrow)*, Esc
(lower case L)--^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^--does the scrolling. Esc ends the scrolling mode.

Seems to work for cmd.exe on NT4

Regards,
Bengt Richter

 

[Christos TZOTZIOY Georgiou]

Alt-spacebar, e, l, (uparrow/downarrow)*, Esc
(lower case L)--^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^--does the scrolling. Esc ends the scrolling mode.

Damn! it says Scroll in there in the system menu, doesn't it? Talk
about blindness...

Seems to work for cmd.exe on NT4

XP too.