apache/spark — pull request #2554 by cocoatomo (2014-09-27 03:49:57+00:00)
Title: [SPARK-3706][PySpark] Cannot run IPython REPL with IPYTHON set to "1" and PYSPARK_PYTHON unset

### Problem

The section "Using the shell" in Spark Programming Guide (https://spark.apache.org/docs/latest/programming-guide.html#using-the-shell) says that we can run pyspark REPL through IPython.
But a folloing command does not run IPython but a default Python executable.

{quote}
$ IPYTHON=1 ./bin/pyspark
Python 2.7.8 (default, Jul 2 2014, 10:14:46)
...
{quote}

the spark/bin/pyspark script on the commit b235e013638685758885842dc3268e9800af3678 decides which executable and options it use folloing way.

1. if PYSPARK_PYTHON unset
* → defaulting to "python"
2. if IPYTHON_OPTS set
* → set IPYTHON "1"
3. some python scripts passed to ./bin/pyspak → run it with ./bin/spark-submit
* out of this issues scope
4. if IPYTHON set as "1"
* → execute $PYSPARK_PYTHON (default: ipython) with arguments $IPYTHON_OPTS
* otherwise execute $PYSPARK_PYTHON

Therefore, when PYSPARK_PYTHON is unset, python is executed though IPYTHON is "1".
In other word, when PYSPARK_PYTHON is unset, IPYTHON_OPS and IPYTHON has no effect on decide which command to use.

PYSPARK_PYTHON | IPYTHON_OPTS | IPYTHON | resulting command | expected command
---- | ---- | ----- | ----- | -----
(unset → defaults to python) | (unset) | (unset) | python | (same)
(unset → defaults to python) | (unset) | 1 | python | ipython
(unset → defaults to python) | an_option | (unset → set to 1) | python an_option | ipython an_option
(unset → defaults to python) | an_option | 1 | python an_option | ipython an_option
ipython | (unset) | (unset) | ipython | (same)
ipython | (unset) | 1 | ipython | (same)
ipython | an_option | (unset → set to 1) | ipython an_option | (same)
ipython | an_option | 1 | ipython an_option | (same)

### Suggestion

The pyspark script should determine firstly whether a user wants to run IPython or other executables.

1. if IPYTHON_OPTS set
* set IPYTHON "1"
2. if IPYTHON has a value "1"
* PYSPARK_PYTHON defaults to "ipython" if not set
3. PYSPARK_PYTHON defaults to "python" if not set

See the pull request for more detailed modification.