macosx_pyfriendly_bashrc

export PATH=$PATH:/$HOME/bin
if [ -z ${DISPLAY} ]
then
  export DISPLAY=:0.0
fi

# Terminal history settings
export HISTCONTROL=ignoredups:erasedups  # no duplicate entries
export HISTSIZE=1000000                   # big big history
export HISTFILESIZE=1000000               # big big history
shopt -s histappend                      # append to history, don't overwrite it

# Homebrew
export PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/local/sbin:$PATH

# Better command history search. Just copying won't work, be sure to read http://www.macworld.com/article/1146015/os-x/termhistory.html
bind '"^[[A":history-search-backward'
bind '"^[[B":history-search-forward'

alias setJdk6='export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.6)'
alias setJdk7='export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.7)'
alias setJdk8='export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.8)'
alias prompt_full='export PS1="\u@\h\w $ "'
export PS1="\u @ \W $ "

# pip should only run if there is a virtualenv currently activated
export PIP_REQUIRE_VIRTUALENV=true

gpip(){
   PIP_REQUIRE_VIRTUALENV="" pip "$@"
}

# you can set your preferred virtual environment directort here
PY_VIRTUALENV_HOME="$HOME/virtualenvs/"
pyenv_list(){

        ls $PY_VIRTUALENV_HOME
}

pyenv_activate(){
        export PY_VIRTUALENV_PATH=$PY_VIRTUALENV_HOME/"$@"
        source $PY_VIRTUALENV_PATH/bin/activate
}

# Working with Matplotlib in Virtual environments: http://matplotlib.org/faq/virtualenv_faq.html
function frameworkpython {
    if [[ ! -z "$PY_VIRTUALENV_PATH" ]]; then
        PYTHONHOME=$PY_VIRTUALENV_PATH /usr/local/bin/python "$@"
    else
        /usr/local/bin/python "$@"
    fi
}

Note: This article assumes you have installed virtualenv (pip install virtualenv).

Usage:

# Create virtual environment. (To give access to global site-packages, add switch  --system-site-packages, however 
# this breaks the isolation between the virtual environment and the system)
virtualenv $HOME/virtualenvs 

# List virtual environments
$ pyenv_list 

# Activate virtual environment
$ pyenv_activate <name>

# Deactivate virtual environment
$ deactivate