externalEditor.py

import os, tempfile

def edit(editor, content=''):
  f=tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(mode='w+')
  if content:
    f.write(content)
    f.flush()
  command=editor+" "+f.name
  status=os.system(command)
  f.seek(0,0)
  text=f.read()
  f.close()
  assert not os.path.exists(f.name)
  return (status, text)