add a data-import magic

[Timmie]

Implement a data import tool that helps users to quickly load data sets from files into the desired python object.

Thinking of something like R-Commander for R-Project:
http://yfrog.com/e4rcommanderdataimportj

For instance, IPython could have a magic:
%fileimport

This could open a dialog to select any file that can be read in with numpy,
scipy tools or any other library imported before which have IO or beyond capabilities: timeseries, hdf, pytables

This could be convenient for interactive data analysis and for quick checking.

[Ville M. Vainio (villemvainio)]

This is easy enough to add as an extension. Check out

http://ipython.scipy.org/doc/stable/html/interactive/extension_api.html#defining-new-magic-commands

I don't think that feature belongs in the core though (because what it does is not well defined).

[Timmie (timmie)]

I already started some %magic with tsfromtxt.

I am currently busy with other stuff. But send a message once you start with serious work.