IDLE (using Python 3.4 on Ubuntu) does not recognize accent key presses (ex: ~, ^, ').

This makes it impossible to program in some languages.

Hello, i am totally new.I went through Pythons Developers guide and would like to learn so please tell me what i should learn to resolve this issue.

IDLE uses tkinter which wraps the tcl/tk GUI framework.  Tk handles key presses.  So this is almost certainly not an IDLE bug, or even a tkinter bug. Unless you can demonstrate otherwise, I will closing this as a CPython issue.

Since this is the first report I know of reporting a problem with ascii chars, there is almost certainly something peculiar about your system.  You should probably ask for help on python-list (or use the gmane.comp.python.general mirror as news.gmane.org).  Here are some preliminary questions.

Do the keys work in the Ubuntu console?
Do the keys work in interactive python (not IDLE), started with 'python' at the console prompt.
In IDLE, go to Help->About IDLE.  What is the Tk version.
  Best if 8.6.x, if before 8.5.18, upgrade.

Run the following program (IDLE editor is fine).

from tkinter import *
root = Tk()
text = Text(root)
text.pack()
text.focus_set()  # required to work
root.mainloop()

Try typing in the text box, including the problem chars.  What happens?

1) Do the keys work in the Ubuntu console?
Yes.

2) Do the keys work in interactive python (not IDLE), started with 'python' at the console prompt.
Yes.

3) In IDLE, go to Help->About IDLE.  What is the Tk version.
  Best if 8.6.x, if before 8.5.18, upgrade.
8.6.1

4) Try typing in the text box, including the problem chars.  What happens?
Ran the program, all characters work perfectly.

Yes same answers as Gian characters worked perfectly

Ankit: the issue is where do they fail, why, and how to fix.  Are you running Ubuntu also?

G.C. How do you start IDLE? Is the problem with exactly those three chars? Do they fail in the Shell? an editor? search box? other entry box such as you get with Alt-M? Open file dialog (control-O)?

Does this have expected output?

for m in range(32, 128, 16):
    for n in range(16):
        print(chr(m + n), ' ', end='')
    print()
# should print
   !  "  #  $  %  &  '  (  )  *  +  ,  -  .  /  
0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  :  ;  <  =  >  ?  
@  A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  
P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  [  \  ]  ^  _  
`  a  b  c  d  e  f  g  h  i  j  k  l  m  n  o  
p  q  r  s  t  u  v  w  x  y  z  {  |  }  ~    
>>>

Terry, first of all thanks for trying to solve this.

I usually start IDLE using Ubuntu's dash.

The problem is with more than just the three characters. Others that I have tested and that don't work include "ç", "`", umlauts... There work in others places in my system such as the console for example.

When I try ALT+M or CTRL+O, inside IDLE, these characters work.

This is a copy of my output. Seems OK
!  "  #  $  %  &  '  (  )  *  +  ,  -  .  /  
0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  :  ;  <  =  >  ?  
@  A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  
P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  [  \  ]  ^  _  
`  a  b  c  d  e  f  g  h  i  j  k  l  m  n  o  
p  q  r  s  t  u  v  w  x  y  z  {  |  }  ~  

I am not surprised that non-ascii chars fail also. But, all? or just a few (all symbol? or only diacriticals)?

My first thought was that you have a european keyboard that is does not match your Ubuntu configuration.  Or that you had an older tcl/tk that did not work with such.

^O opens a dialog that IDLE is not involved with.  Alt-M open a different tk widget that IDLE in not involved with.

Do shell and editor have exactly the same problems?

Let's try two other things.  Alt-F3 opens Find in Files (grep).  Can you enter any of `'^~ on the first line?

Put anything on the first line and add a *fake* directory on the second (so you have something like zyx/*.py).  Search.  Try typing in the Output Window.  It is slightly different from shell and editor (no colors, for instance).

Ankit: I am trying to narrow possibilities using my knowledge of IDLE internals.  I wish I knew what *I* need to learn for this.

Yes,i am using ubuntu.


Thank you Terry for guiding me really appreciate your help. 
Sorry for not replying fell asleep.

Find in Files (grep)
Yes can type `'^~.

Output Window 
Yes seems to work can type `'^~ and other characters.

Do you have problems with ASCII characters "'", "^", "~", or with combining accents in "á", "â", "ã"?

@Terry
Using 'Find in Files' (Alt+F3) works fine. I can type everything normally. Also in the Output everything is fine.

Apparently the problem is only with diacriticals (I mentioned 'ç', but it is working (I have a particular key for that in my keyboard... it is a Brazilian keyboard)).

@Serhiy
The problem is both with standalone keys ('`~^) and accented characters (ãẽéáà etc)



Today I found a very strange behaviour.

IF I start IDLE with a clean file, everything works fine. 

If then I open a .py file, or save the new file as .py, after 3-5 seconds these keys stop working. Very strange...

I hope I was clear in describing this.

@Ankit: check if this behavior is the same for you.

Any additional input on this issue?

I am out of ideas.  You might ask on python-list (accessible as newsgroup mirror on news.gmane.org) whether any other Ubunto users have the problem or have heard of it.

This seems to be a problem with Tk 8.6 when using an international keyboard layout on Linux. I ran the following test.tcl script via wish:

    text .t
    pack .t

Initially dead keys work, but they stop working if I switch away from the text entry to another window and then back. Using the menu to save a file in IDLE has the same effect. I suggest opening a ticket at http://core.tcl.tk/tk.

Thank you for the confirmation that this is a tcl/tk problem. At least this report is here for anyone else using 8.6 with non-US keyboard on linux.

I find this bug recently in my IDLE. Ubuntu 14.04, Python 3.4.3, Tk 8.6.1. How can I fix this?