Copying and pasting Python REPL examples

Many Python examples are shown as Python REPL sessions, for example:

>>> class eg(object):
...     def __init__(self, name):
...             self.name = name
...     def hi(self):
...             print "Hi %s" % (self.name)
... 
>>> greeter = eg("Bob")
>>> greeter.hi()
Hi Bob
>>> 

But if I try to copy and paste that code into another python interpreter session, I get errors:

>>> >>> class eg(object):
  File "<stdin>", line 1
    >>> class eg(object):
     ^
SyntaxError: invalid syntax
>>> ...     def __init__(self, name):
  File "<stdin>", line 1
    ...     def __init__(self, name):
    ^

To get it to run, I would have to either..

• copy-and-paste the lines one at a time, making sure I copy all the indentation correctly. If you screw it up (say, miss a leading space, you have to start all over again)
• use a text editor to remove >>> and ... , then paste again

How else can I avoid the problem?

How to run/adopt "the output of Pythons REPL"

• Use IPython shell

  In [99]: %cpaste
  Pasting code; enter '--' alone on the line to stop.
  :>>> class eg(object):
  :...     def __init__(self, name):
  :...             self.name = name
  :...     def hi(self):
  :...             print "Hi %s" % (self.name)
  :...
  :>>> greeter = eg("Bob")
  :>>> greeter.hi()
  :--
  Hi Bob
  

• Use a capable text editor (e.g., C-x r k kills rectangular region in Emacs)

• Use doctest module

Copy without the shell prompt in the first place (though I don't know how to do it on Google Chrome, for example).

Why the doctest format is used

Save the following to documentation.txt:

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do
eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad
minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut
aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. 

>>> class eg(object):
...     def __init__(self, name):
...             self.name = name
...     def hi(self):
...             print "Hi %s" % (self.name)
... 
>>> greeter = eg("Bob")
>>> greeter.hi()
Hi Bob
>>>

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum
dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non
proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est
laborum.

Run:

$ python -c "import doctest; doctest.testfile('documentation.txt')" -v

Output:

Trying:
    class eg(object):
        def __init__(self, name):
                self.name = name
        def hi(self):
                print "Hi %s" % (self.name)
Expecting nothing
ok
Trying:
    greeter = eg("Bob")
Expecting nothing
ok
Trying:
    greeter.hi()
Expecting:
    Hi Bob
ok
1 items passed all tests:
   3 tests in doctest.txt
3 tests in 1 items.
3 passed and 0 failed.
Test passed.

If you add the following snippet at the end of your module it will test all code in its docstrings:

if __name__=="__main__":
   import doctest; doctest.testmod()

QED