python / python/cpython

IDLE module-name completion crashes on a non-iterable __all__

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#153,506 1 comment 0 reactions 1 assignee View on GitHub

@terryjreedy is already working on this.

Since Jul 12, 2026.

stdlib topic-IDLE type-bug
Dominant language
Python
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Description

Bug report

Bug description:

When the IDLE shell namespace has a non-iterable __all__ (for example __all__ = None, an easy typo), pressing Tab for module-name completion at an empty prefix raises an uncaught TypeError instead of showing completions.

autocomplete.AutoComplete.fetch_completions handles the ATTRS empty-prefix case with sorted(eval("__all__", namespace)) and no guard, while the sibling non-empty-prefix branch already wraps the equivalent sorted(entity.__all__) in try/except and returns empty lists on failure. Only the empty-prefix branch is affected.

Reproduction in the IDLE shell:

>>> __all__ = None
>>> # press Tab at an empty prefix
TypeError: 'NoneType' object is not iterable

A deterministic regression test that drives fetch_completions with a patched __main__.__all__ is included in the linked PR.

Suggested fix: guard the empty-prefix branch the same way the sibling branch is guarded, returning empty completion lists when __all__ cannot be evaluated or sorted.

CPython versions tested on:

3.16, CPython main branch

Operating systems tested on:

macOS

Linked PRs
  • gh-153507
  • gh-153527

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