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Using Python and converting Tabs to whitespace.
Derek Conklin
posted Aug 5, 2013

Can tabs remain tabs? Forcing us to use a language like Python is one thing, but I don't see the sense in not supporting tab fully, especially with a white-space reliant language like Python. I did it back in 2008 for every browser in my own IDE so it is certainly possible.

How it should be:
{TAB}{TAB}{DELETE}{DELETE}

How you have it:
{TAB}{TAB}{DELETE}{DELETE}{DELETE}{DELETE}{DELETE}{DELETE}{DELETE}{DELETE}

IE. Tabs are converted to 4 spaces.

Also, JavaScript would have been ideal for this purpose. I'm sure you have your reasons.

3 responses
Dan Dunn
Aug 5, 2013

Hi Derek,

Sorry that the IDE is being frustrating for you. I agree there are still a lot of things we can do better. That's a good example - we can definitely make the IDE treat the spaces as tabs, and make it easier. Thanks for the suggestion.

A couple shortcuts that will help:

  • Press cntrl-] or cntrl-[ to indent and outdent line(s).
  • shift-tab will auto-indent some sections (but it's not perfect)
  • cntrl-/ for multi-line comment
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Andrew Parker
Aug 6, 2013

If some people work in tabs, and others in spaces, it makes sharing code difficult. Mixing tabs and spaces can lead to surprising and/or broken code. See PEP-8 for some guidance on tabs vs. spaces: http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0008/#tabs-or-spaces

Zhuoran Yu
Aug 8, 2013

As Andrew Parker said, python user should take care of the tabs vs. spaces.
However, I don't think this is a serious problem here, since everyone uses the same IDE.

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The material on this website is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation to buy, or a recommendation or endorsement for any security or strategy, nor does it constitute an offer to provide investment advisory services by Quantopian.

In addition, the material offers no opinion with respect to the suitability of any security or specific investment. No information contained herein should be regarded as a suggestion to engage in or refrain from any investment-related course of action as none of Quantopian nor any of its affiliates is undertaking to provide investment advice, act as an adviser to any plan or entity subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, individual retirement account or individual retirement annuity, or give advice in a fiduciary capacity with respect to the materials presented herein. If you are an individual retirement or other investor, contact your financial advisor or other fiduciary unrelated to Quantopian about whether any given investment idea, strategy, product or service described herein may be appropriate for your circumstances. All investments involve risk, including loss of principal. Quantopian makes no guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of the views expressed in the website. The views are subject to change, and may have become unreliable for various reasons, including changes in market conditions or economic circumstances.