Cannot use non-ascii in the Python interactive shell

[Themanwithoutaplan]

If try and type "Ü" then the terminal just beeps and displays nothing. This affects only MacPorts Python 2.6 & 2.7 but not the system Python. Running on Mac OS 10.7

[neverpanic (Clemens Lang)]

Please remember to Cc the maintainer(s), if any.

[mf2k (Frank Schima)]

Have you tried the ucs4 variant?

[Themanwithoutaplan]

Just tried ucs4 but no joy. Apple's Python is also only ucs2.

[ned-deily (Ned Deily)]

You need to install the corresponding readline ports, i.e. py26-readline and/or py27-readline. (Umlauted characters are in the BMP, so ucs2 is fine.)

[Themanwithoutaplan]

Replying to nad@…:

You need to install the corresponding readline ports, i.e. py26-readline and/or py27-readline. (Umlauted characters are in the BMP, so ucs2 is fine.)

That does indeed solve the problem though I'm curious as to why the readline has to be installed additionally. Licensing issues?

[ned-deily (Ned Deily)]

That's a good question. Actually, 2.7 at least should work without installing the readline port as, by default, Python now tries to link with libedit (the BSD version) rather than GNU readline. Building Python from source and using the Apple-supplied libedit (in 10.7 for example), your example works OK, as does the python.org 64-bit/32-bit installer which also uses the system libedit, The MacPort port file has some patches in this area (patch-libedit.diff, patch-readlinefix.diff are the obvious ones) which may be breaking something. Someone should look into them. (I don't have time right now to do it myself.);

[petrrr]

I cannot reproduce this problem. So can we assume this problem is solved?

[petrrr]

Cc Me!

[Themanwithoutaplan]

I can confirm that problem is still there on OS X 10.7.x for

• python26 @2.6.9_1 (active)
• python27 @2.7.9_0 (active)
• python33 @3.3.6_2 (active)
• python34 @3.4.3_2 (active)

[larryv (Lawrence Velázquez)]

Cc Me!

[jmroot (Joshua Root)]

#52866