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<div class="section" id="using-pyqt4-from-the-python-shell">
<h1>Using PyQt4 from the Python Shell<a class="headerlink" href="#using-pyqt4-from-the-python-shell" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h1>
<p>PyQt4 installs an input hook (using <tt class="docutils literal"><span class="pre">PyOS_InputHook</span></tt>) that processes events
when an interactive interpreter is waiting for user input. This means that
you can, for example, create widgets from the Python shell prompt, interact
with them, and still being able to enter other Python commands.</p>
<p>For example, if you enter the following in the Python shell:</p>
<div class="highlight-python"><div class="highlight"><pre><span class="gp">>>> </span><span class="kn">from</span> <span class="nn">PyQt4</span> <span class="kn">import</span> <span class="n">QtGui</span>
<span class="gp">>>> </span><span class="n">a</span> <span class="o">=</span> <span class="n">QtGui</span><span class="o">.</span><span class="n">QApplication</span><span class="p">([])</span>
<span class="gp">>>> </span><span class="n">w</span> <span class="o">=</span> <span class="n">QtGui</span><span class="o">.</span><span class="n">QWidget</span><span class="p">()</span>
<span class="gp">>>> </span><span class="n">w</span><span class="o">.</span><span class="n">show</span><span class="p">()</span>
<span class="gp">>>> </span><span class="n">w</span><span class="o">.</span><span class="n">hide</span><span class="p">()</span>
<span class="go">>>></span>
</pre></div>
</div>
<p>The widget would be displayed when <tt class="docutils literal"><span class="pre">w.show()</span></tt> was entered amd hidden as soon
as <tt class="docutils literal"><span class="pre">w.hide()</span></tt> was entered.</p>
<p>The installation of an input hook can cause problems for certain applications
(particularly those that implement a similar feature using different means).
The <tt class="xref py py-mod docutils literal"><span class="pre">QtCore</span></tt> module contains the
<tt class="xref py py-func docutils literal"><span class="pre">pyqtRemoveInputHook()</span></tt> and
<tt class="xref py py-func docutils literal"><span class="pre">pyqtRestoreInputHook()</span></tt> functions that remove and restore
the input hook respectively.</p>
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