Source code: Lib/rlcompleter.py
The rlcompleter module defines a completion function suitable for the readline module by completing valid Python identifiers and keywords.
When this module is imported on a Unix platform with the readline module available, an instance of the Completer class is automatically created and its complete() method is set as the readline completer.
Example:
>>> import rlcompleter
>>> import readline
>>> readline.parse_and_bind("tab: complete")
>>> readline. <TAB PRESSED>
readline.__doc__ readline.get_line_buffer( readline.read_init_file(
readline.__file__ readline.insert_text( readline.set_completer(
readline.__name__ readline.parse_and_bind(
>>> readline.
The rlcompleter module is designed for use with Python’s interactive mode. A user can add the following lines to his or her initialization file (identified by the PYTHONSTARTUP environment variable) to get automatic Tab completion:
try:
import readline
except ImportError:
print "Module readline not available."
else:
import rlcompleter
readline.parse_and_bind("tab: complete")
On platforms without readline, the Completer class defined by this module can still be used for custom purposes.
Completer objects have the following method:
Return the stateth completion for text.
If called for text that doesn’t include a period character ('.'), it will complete from names currently defined in __main__, __builtin__ and keywords (as defined by the keyword module).
If called for a dotted name, it will try to evaluate anything without obvious side-effects (functions will not be evaluated, but it can generate calls to __getattr__()) up to the last part, and find matches for the rest via the dir() function. Any exception raised during the evaluation of the expression is caught, silenced and None is returned.