PyQt4 + PyKDE4 script to auto-create IPython notebooks based on date, including starting the interpreter and browser (chromium). Depends upon having a "nbserver" profile set up in IPython. Depends upon: pathlib, psutil, PyQt4, PyKDE4, Pynotify.

create_ipython_notebook.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

from datetime import datetime
import sys

from IPython.nbformat import current
from pathlib import Path
from PyKDE4.kdecore import KStandardDirs
from PyKDE4.kio import KRun
import PyQt4.QtCore as QtCore
import PyQt4.QtGui as QtGui
import pynotify
import psutil


NOTEBOOK_DIR = Path("/path_to_notebooks/")
URL = "http://your-notebook-url-and-port/"


def ipython_pid():
    
    for item in psutil.process_iter():
        if "ipython" in item.name and "notebook" in item.cmdline:
            return item.pid


def create_notebook():

    name = datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
    full_name = name + ".ipynb"
    heading = "Current work - {}".format(name)

    heading_cell = current.new_heading_cell(source=heading, level=2)
    code_cell = current.new_code_cell()

    cells = [heading_cell, code_cell]
    worksheet = current.new_worksheet(cells=cells)
    notebook = current.new_notebook(name, worksheets=[worksheet])

    return notebook, full_name


class Runner(QtCore.QObject):

    finished = QtCore.pyqtSignal()

    def __init__(self, parent=None):
        super(Runner, self).__init__(parent)

    def launch_browser(self):

        exe = KStandardDirs.findExe("chromium")
        exe = exe.append(" %1").arg(URL)
        result = KRun.runCommand(exe, None)

        if not result:
            notification = pynotify.Notification(
                "Browser error",
                "Chromium could not be started",
                "dialog-error")

            notification.show()

    def run(self):

        notebook, filename = create_notebook()

        if not NOTEBOOK_DIR[filename].exists():

            message = "Notebook {} created.".format(filename)

            with NOTEBOOK_DIR[filename].open("w") as handle:
                current.write(notebook, handle, "ipynb")

            notification = pynotify.Notification("Notebook created", message,
                                                 "dialog-information")

            notification.show()

        else:
            message =  "Notebook {} already existing.".format(filename)

            notification = pynotify.Notification("Notebook exists", message,
                                                 "dialog-warning")

            notification.show()

        if self.launch_ipython():
            self.launch_browser()

        self.finished.emit()

    def launch_ipython(self):

        pid = ipython_pid()

        if pid is None:
            exe = KStandardDirs.findExe("ipython")
            exe.append(" notebook --profile nbserver")
            result = KRun.runCommand(exe, None)

            if not result:
                message = "IPython cold not be started"
                notification = pynotify.Notification("IPython error",
                                                     message, "dialog-error")

                notification.show()

                return False

        return True


def main():

    app = QtGui.QApplication(sys.argv)
    pynotify.init("Notebook creator")
    runner = Runner()
    runner.finished.connect(app.quit)
    QtCore.QTimer.singleShot(0, runner.run)

    app.exec_()


if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()