IPython Notebook Input Hack

input_hack.ipynb.json

{
 "metadata": {
  "name": "input_hack"
 },
 "nbformat": 3,
 "nbformat_minor": 0,
 "worksheets": [
  {
   "cells": [
    {
     "cell_type": "markdown",
     "metadata": {},
     "source": "#### Caveats\n\n* Requires at least IPython 0.13\n* Can only be called for global variables\n* Cannot be called from within another function\n\nvia [Shawn Brown](https://plus.google.com/115875830338788300419/posts/cJFqX2Rpvzn)"
    },
    {
     "cell_type": "code",
     "collapsed": true,
     "input": "import IPython.core.display",
     "language": "python",
     "metadata": {},
     "outputs": [],
     "prompt_number": 1
    },
    {
     "cell_type": "code",
     "collapsed": true,
     "input": "def ipynb_input(varname, prompt=''):\n    \"\"\"Prompt user for input and assign string val to given variable name.\"\"\"\n    js_code = (\"\"\"\n        var value = prompt(\"{prompt}\",\"\");\n        var py_code = \"{varname} = '\" + value + \"'\";\n        IPython.notebook.kernel.execute(py_code);\n    \"\"\").format(prompt=prompt, varname=varname)\n    return IPython.core.display.Javascript(js_code)",
     "language": "python",
     "metadata": {},
     "outputs": [],
     "prompt_number": 2
    },
    {
     "cell_type": "code",
     "collapsed": false,
     "input": "ipynb_input(varname='username',prompt='Enter your username: ')",
     "language": "python",
     "metadata": {},
     "outputs": [
      {
       "javascript": "\n        var value = prompt(\"Enter your username: \",\"\");\n        var py_code = \"username = '\" + value + \"'\";\n        IPython.notebook.kernel.execute(py_code);\n    ",
       "output_type": "pyout",
       "prompt_number": 3,
       "text": "<IPython.core.display.Javascript at 0x2044ed0>"
      }
     ],
     "prompt_number": 3
    },
    {
     "cell_type": "code",
     "collapsed": false,
     "input": "print(username)",
     "language": "python",
     "metadata": {},
     "outputs": [
      {
       "output_type": "stream",
       "stream": "stdout",
       "text": "sethbattis\n"
      }
     ],
     "prompt_number": 4
    }
   ],
   "metadata": {}
  }
 ]
}