2007-08-15 11:28:01 -03:00
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:mod:`pydoc` --- Documentation generator and online help system
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===============================================================
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.. module:: pydoc
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:synopsis: Documentation generator and online help system.
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.. moduleauthor:: Ka-Ping Yee <ping@lfw.org>
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.. sectionauthor:: Ka-Ping Yee <ping@lfw.org>
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.. versionadded:: 2.1
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.. index::
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single: documentation; generation
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single: documentation; online
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single: help; online
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The :mod:`pydoc` module automatically generates documentation from Python
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modules. The documentation can be presented as pages of text on the console,
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served to a Web browser, or saved to HTML files.
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The built-in function :func:`help` invokes the online help system in the
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interactive interpreter, which uses :mod:`pydoc` to generate its documentation
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as text on the console. The same text documentation can also be viewed from
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outside the Python interpreter by running :program:`pydoc` as a script at the
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operating system's command prompt. For example, running ::
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pydoc sys
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at a shell prompt will display documentation on the :mod:`sys` module, in a
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style similar to the manual pages shown by the Unix :program:`man` command. The
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argument to :program:`pydoc` can be the name of a function, module, or package,
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or a dotted reference to a class, method, or function within a module or module
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in a package. If the argument to :program:`pydoc` looks like a path (that is,
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it contains the path separator for your operating system, such as a slash in
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Unix), and refers to an existing Python source file, then documentation is
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produced for that file.
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2008-12-27 15:11:15 -04:00
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.. note::
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In order to find objects and their documentation, :mod:`pydoc` imports the
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module(s) to be documented. Therefore, any code on module level will be
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executed on that occasion. Use an ``if __name__ == '__main__':`` guard to
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only execute code when a file is invoked as a script and not just imported.
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Merged revisions 86521,86632,86823-86824,87294,87296,87300,87302 via svnmerge from
svn+ssh://pythondev@svn.python.org/python/branches/py3k
........
r86521 | eric.araujo | 2010-11-18 17:38:46 +0100 (jeu., 18 nov. 2010) | 17 lines
Fix usage of :option: in the docs (#9312).
:option: is used to create a link to an option of python, not to mark
up any instance of any arbitrary command-line option. These were
changed to ````.
For modules which do have a command-line interface, lists of options
have been properly marked up with the program/cmdoption directives
combo. Options defined in such blocks can be linked to with :option:
later in the same file, they won’t link to an option of python.
Finally, the markup of command-line fragments in optparse.rst has
been cleaned to use ``x`` instead of ``"x"``, keeping that latter
form for actual Python strings.
Patch by Eli Bendersky and Éric Araujo.
........
r86632 | eric.araujo | 2010-11-21 04:09:17 +0100 (dim., 21 nov. 2010) | 2 lines
Style edits in followup to r86521 (#9312)
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r86823 | eric.araujo | 2010-11-27 00:31:07 +0100 (sam., 27 nov. 2010) | 2 lines
Use link-generating markup (see #9312)
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r86824 | eric.araujo | 2010-11-27 00:46:18 +0100 (sam., 27 nov. 2010) | 2 lines
Rewrap long lines + minor edits
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r87294 | eric.araujo | 2010-12-16 01:07:01 +0100 (jeu., 16 déc. 2010) | 2 lines
No need to generate a link for something that’s just above.
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r87296 | eric.araujo | 2010-12-16 01:23:30 +0100 (jeu., 16 déc. 2010) | 2 lines
Advertise “python -m” instead of direct filename.
........
r87300 | eric.araujo | 2010-12-16 02:40:26 +0100 (jeu., 16 déc. 2010) | 2 lines
Advertise “python -m test” over test.regrtest (r87296 followup)
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r87302 | eric.araujo | 2010-12-16 03:10:11 +0100 (jeu., 16 déc. 2010) | 2 lines
Add versionadded directive missing from r78983.
........
2010-12-15 23:53:53 -04:00
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Specifying a ``-w`` flag before the argument will cause HTML documentation
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2007-08-15 11:28:01 -03:00
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to be written out to a file in the current directory, instead of displaying text
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on the console.
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Merged revisions 86521,86632,86823-86824,87294,87296,87300,87302 via svnmerge from
svn+ssh://pythondev@svn.python.org/python/branches/py3k
........
r86521 | eric.araujo | 2010-11-18 17:38:46 +0100 (jeu., 18 nov. 2010) | 17 lines
Fix usage of :option: in the docs (#9312).
:option: is used to create a link to an option of python, not to mark
up any instance of any arbitrary command-line option. These were
changed to ````.
For modules which do have a command-line interface, lists of options
have been properly marked up with the program/cmdoption directives
combo. Options defined in such blocks can be linked to with :option:
later in the same file, they won’t link to an option of python.
Finally, the markup of command-line fragments in optparse.rst has
been cleaned to use ``x`` instead of ``"x"``, keeping that latter
form for actual Python strings.
Patch by Eli Bendersky and Éric Araujo.
........
r86632 | eric.araujo | 2010-11-21 04:09:17 +0100 (dim., 21 nov. 2010) | 2 lines
Style edits in followup to r86521 (#9312)
........
r86823 | eric.araujo | 2010-11-27 00:31:07 +0100 (sam., 27 nov. 2010) | 2 lines
Use link-generating markup (see #9312)
........
r86824 | eric.araujo | 2010-11-27 00:46:18 +0100 (sam., 27 nov. 2010) | 2 lines
Rewrap long lines + minor edits
........
r87294 | eric.araujo | 2010-12-16 01:07:01 +0100 (jeu., 16 déc. 2010) | 2 lines
No need to generate a link for something that’s just above.
........
r87296 | eric.araujo | 2010-12-16 01:23:30 +0100 (jeu., 16 déc. 2010) | 2 lines
Advertise “python -m” instead of direct filename.
........
r87300 | eric.araujo | 2010-12-16 02:40:26 +0100 (jeu., 16 déc. 2010) | 2 lines
Advertise “python -m test” over test.regrtest (r87296 followup)
........
r87302 | eric.araujo | 2010-12-16 03:10:11 +0100 (jeu., 16 déc. 2010) | 2 lines
Add versionadded directive missing from r78983.
........
2010-12-15 23:53:53 -04:00
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Specifying a ``-k`` flag before the argument will search the synopsis
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2007-08-15 11:28:01 -03:00
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lines of all available modules for the keyword given as the argument, again in a
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manner similar to the Unix :program:`man` command. The synopsis line of a
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module is the first line of its documentation string.
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You can also use :program:`pydoc` to start an HTTP server on the local machine
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Merged revisions 86521,86632,86823-86824,87294,87296,87300,87302 via svnmerge from
svn+ssh://pythondev@svn.python.org/python/branches/py3k
........
r86521 | eric.araujo | 2010-11-18 17:38:46 +0100 (jeu., 18 nov. 2010) | 17 lines
Fix usage of :option: in the docs (#9312).
:option: is used to create a link to an option of python, not to mark
up any instance of any arbitrary command-line option. These were
changed to ````.
For modules which do have a command-line interface, lists of options
have been properly marked up with the program/cmdoption directives
combo. Options defined in such blocks can be linked to with :option:
later in the same file, they won’t link to an option of python.
Finally, the markup of command-line fragments in optparse.rst has
been cleaned to use ``x`` instead of ``"x"``, keeping that latter
form for actual Python strings.
Patch by Eli Bendersky and Éric Araujo.
........
r86632 | eric.araujo | 2010-11-21 04:09:17 +0100 (dim., 21 nov. 2010) | 2 lines
Style edits in followup to r86521 (#9312)
........
r86823 | eric.araujo | 2010-11-27 00:31:07 +0100 (sam., 27 nov. 2010) | 2 lines
Use link-generating markup (see #9312)
........
r86824 | eric.araujo | 2010-11-27 00:46:18 +0100 (sam., 27 nov. 2010) | 2 lines
Rewrap long lines + minor edits
........
r87294 | eric.araujo | 2010-12-16 01:07:01 +0100 (jeu., 16 déc. 2010) | 2 lines
No need to generate a link for something that’s just above.
........
r87296 | eric.araujo | 2010-12-16 01:23:30 +0100 (jeu., 16 déc. 2010) | 2 lines
Advertise “python -m” instead of direct filename.
........
r87300 | eric.araujo | 2010-12-16 02:40:26 +0100 (jeu., 16 déc. 2010) | 2 lines
Advertise “python -m test” over test.regrtest (r87296 followup)
........
r87302 | eric.araujo | 2010-12-16 03:10:11 +0100 (jeu., 16 déc. 2010) | 2 lines
Add versionadded directive missing from r78983.
........
2010-12-15 23:53:53 -04:00
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that will serve documentation to visiting Web browsers. :program:`pydoc -p 1234`
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will start a HTTP server on port 1234, allowing you to browse
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the documentation at ``http://localhost:1234/`` in your preferred Web browser.
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Merged revisions 86521,86632,86823-86824,87294,87296,87300,87302 via svnmerge from
svn+ssh://pythondev@svn.python.org/python/branches/py3k
........
r86521 | eric.araujo | 2010-11-18 17:38:46 +0100 (jeu., 18 nov. 2010) | 17 lines
Fix usage of :option: in the docs (#9312).
:option: is used to create a link to an option of python, not to mark
up any instance of any arbitrary command-line option. These were
changed to ````.
For modules which do have a command-line interface, lists of options
have been properly marked up with the program/cmdoption directives
combo. Options defined in such blocks can be linked to with :option:
later in the same file, they won’t link to an option of python.
Finally, the markup of command-line fragments in optparse.rst has
been cleaned to use ``x`` instead of ``"x"``, keeping that latter
form for actual Python strings.
Patch by Eli Bendersky and Éric Araujo.
........
r86632 | eric.araujo | 2010-11-21 04:09:17 +0100 (dim., 21 nov. 2010) | 2 lines
Style edits in followup to r86521 (#9312)
........
r86823 | eric.araujo | 2010-11-27 00:31:07 +0100 (sam., 27 nov. 2010) | 2 lines
Use link-generating markup (see #9312)
........
r86824 | eric.araujo | 2010-11-27 00:46:18 +0100 (sam., 27 nov. 2010) | 2 lines
Rewrap long lines + minor edits
........
r87294 | eric.araujo | 2010-12-16 01:07:01 +0100 (jeu., 16 déc. 2010) | 2 lines
No need to generate a link for something that’s just above.
........
r87296 | eric.araujo | 2010-12-16 01:23:30 +0100 (jeu., 16 déc. 2010) | 2 lines
Advertise “python -m” instead of direct filename.
........
r87300 | eric.araujo | 2010-12-16 02:40:26 +0100 (jeu., 16 déc. 2010) | 2 lines
Advertise “python -m test” over test.regrtest (r87296 followup)
........
r87302 | eric.araujo | 2010-12-16 03:10:11 +0100 (jeu., 16 déc. 2010) | 2 lines
Add versionadded directive missing from r78983.
........
2010-12-15 23:53:53 -04:00
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:program:`pydoc -g` will start the server and additionally bring up a
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2007-08-15 11:28:01 -03:00
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small :mod:`Tkinter`\ -based graphical interface to help you search for
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documentation pages.
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When :program:`pydoc` generates documentation, it uses the current environment
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Merged revisions 86521,86632,86823-86824,87294,87296,87300,87302 via svnmerge from
svn+ssh://pythondev@svn.python.org/python/branches/py3k
........
r86521 | eric.araujo | 2010-11-18 17:38:46 +0100 (jeu., 18 nov. 2010) | 17 lines
Fix usage of :option: in the docs (#9312).
:option: is used to create a link to an option of python, not to mark
up any instance of any arbitrary command-line option. These were
changed to ````.
For modules which do have a command-line interface, lists of options
have been properly marked up with the program/cmdoption directives
combo. Options defined in such blocks can be linked to with :option:
later in the same file, they won’t link to an option of python.
Finally, the markup of command-line fragments in optparse.rst has
been cleaned to use ``x`` instead of ``"x"``, keeping that latter
form for actual Python strings.
Patch by Eli Bendersky and Éric Araujo.
........
r86632 | eric.araujo | 2010-11-21 04:09:17 +0100 (dim., 21 nov. 2010) | 2 lines
Style edits in followup to r86521 (#9312)
........
r86823 | eric.araujo | 2010-11-27 00:31:07 +0100 (sam., 27 nov. 2010) | 2 lines
Use link-generating markup (see #9312)
........
r86824 | eric.araujo | 2010-11-27 00:46:18 +0100 (sam., 27 nov. 2010) | 2 lines
Rewrap long lines + minor edits
........
r87294 | eric.araujo | 2010-12-16 01:07:01 +0100 (jeu., 16 déc. 2010) | 2 lines
No need to generate a link for something that’s just above.
........
r87296 | eric.araujo | 2010-12-16 01:23:30 +0100 (jeu., 16 déc. 2010) | 2 lines
Advertise “python -m” instead of direct filename.
........
r87300 | eric.araujo | 2010-12-16 02:40:26 +0100 (jeu., 16 déc. 2010) | 2 lines
Advertise “python -m test” over test.regrtest (r87296 followup)
........
r87302 | eric.araujo | 2010-12-16 03:10:11 +0100 (jeu., 16 déc. 2010) | 2 lines
Add versionadded directive missing from r78983.
........
2010-12-15 23:53:53 -04:00
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and path to locate modules. Thus, invoking :program:`pydoc spam`
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documents precisely the version of the module you would get if you started the
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Python interpreter and typed ``import spam``.
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Module docs for core modules are assumed to reside in
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http://docs.python.org/library/. This can be overridden by setting the
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:envvar:`PYTHONDOCS` environment variable to a different URL or to a local
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directory containing the Library Reference Manual pages.
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