Sending code from Python buffer to IPython session running from M-x ansi-term

Question

Say I open a terminal emulator in Emacs with M-x ansi-term. This opens a buffer in Emacs with the shell of my choice. Say I then run ipython from this shell. Can I send code to this ipython session from another buffer with Python code in Emacs? If so how?

Answer 1

I have a minor mode for this purpose (except it is not IPython-specific and I mostly use it for shell scripts): isend-mode.

Here is how you would use it:

1. Open an ansi-term buffer:

   M-xansi-termRET/usr/bin/ipythonRET

2. Open the buffer with the code you want to execute, and associate it to the interpreter buffer:

   M-xisend-associateRET*ansi-term*RET

3. Hit C-RET in the python buffer to send the current line to the interpreter in the ansi-term buffer.

Answer 2

(defun send-buffer-to-ipython ()
  "Send current buffer to the running ipython process."
  (interactive)
  (let* ((ipython-buffer "*ansi-term*") ; the buffer name of your running terminal
         (proc (get-buffer-process ipython-buffer)))
    (unless proc
      (error "no process found"))
    (save-buffer)
    (process-send-string proc
                         (format "execfile(\"%s\")\n" (buffer-file-name)))
    (pop-to-buffer ipython-buffer)      ; show ipython and select it
    ;; (display-buffer ipython-buffer)  ; show ipython but don't select it
    ))

Then bind command send-buffer-to-ipython to any key you like. I bind it to C-c C-c

(define-key python-mode-map [?\C-c ?\C-c] 'send-buffer-to-ipython)