[Python-Dev] Status of the Argument Clinic DSL (original) (raw)

Larry Hastings larry at hastings.org
Fri Aug 5 08:36:19 EDT 2016

On 08/04/2016 11:58 PM, Nick Coghlan wrote:

I occasionally wonder if we should document the "/" notation in https://docs.python.org/3/library/inspect.html#introspecting-callables-with-the-signature-object as it can sometimes show up in the text representation of signature objects:

>>> print(inspect.signature(format)) (value, formatspec='', /)

I think we probably should. After all, this same string is used for pydoc:

 >>> import os
 >>> help(os.execv)
Help on built-in function execv in module posix:

execv(path, argv, /)
     Execute an executable path with arguments, replacing current
process.

     path
       Path of executable file.
     argv
       Tuple or list of strings.

so it's easily user-visible.

I've always found it a little strange that the signatures for functions using Py_ArgParseTuple() had this / in them that wasn't Python syntax.
On the other hand, it accurately reflects the fact that these functions have signatures that you can't write in Python.

(And, FWIW, I wasn't the person who added the code that made "/" start showing up in the text representations of signatures. I was waffling on it, then someone else JFDI, to quote Barry.)

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