Issues setting up bash autocomplete for Python3 alias

Miku Tatukua

4/15/23, 4:05 PM

I've got an alias for python3, 'py' - it's set up as you might expect in my .bashrc file.

alias py='python3'
complete -F _python py

The issue is that complete will only work if I try to complete with the base python command python prior. Here's an example in the terminal log below:

~/askubuntodemo: ls                           
main.py

~/askubuntodemo: py -bash: completion: function `_python' not found

~/askubuntodemo: python main.py
hello world

~/askubuntodemo: py main.py
hello world

Is there a way I can initialise the autocomplete as soon as I log in as opposed to having to manually initiallise by doing a complete with the main python complete first.

(edit: for error in .bashrc while posting)

0 + 0

command-line

bash

alias

python3

windows-subsystem-for-linux

Score:1

Ubuntu

Artur Meinild

4/15/23, 4:18 PM

For autocomplete, I've solved this (with another alias, but modified here for python) by adding the following to /etc/bash_completion.d/bash_completion:

if [[ -r /usr/share/bash-completion/completions/python3 ]]; then
    . /usr/share/bash-completion/completions/python3 && complete -F _python python py
fi

I believe this could also be added to .bashrc, but both will be sourced so the result is the same.

0 + 0

Miku Tatukua

4/15/23, 4:32 PM

My bad - I miss-typed while writing the post. I will edit for future reference. I've just added your suggestion to the config file, and everything is working perfectly. Thanks a ton for the help.

Elon Musk

I sit in a Tesla and translated this thread with Ai:

EN: Issues setting up bash autocomplete for Python3 alias

TH: ปัญหาการตั้งค่าการเติมข้อความอัตโนมัติ bash สำหรับนามแฝง Python3

RO: Probleme cu configurarea completării automate bash pentru aliasul Python3

RU: Проблемы с настройкой автозаполнения bash для псевдонима Python3

VI: Sự cố khi thiết lập tự động hoàn thành bash cho bí danh Python3

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