[Python-Dev] Docstrings on builtins (original) (raw)

Chris Barker chris.barker at noaa.gov
Mon Jun 4 17:45:13 EDT 2018

Over on python-ideas, someone is/was proposing literals for timedeltas.

I don't expect that will come to anything, but it did make me take a look at the docstring for datetime.timedelta. I use iPython's ? a lot for a quick overview of how to use a class/function.

This is what I get:

In [8]: timedelta? Init signature: timedelta(self, /, *args, **kwargs) Docstring: Difference between two datetime values. File: ~/miniconda2/envs/py3/lib/python3.6/datetime.py Type: type

That is, well, not so useful. I'd like to see at least the signature:

datetime.timedelta(days=0, seconds=0, microseconds=0, milliseconds=0, minutes=0, hours=0, weeks=0

And ideally much of the text in the docs.

I've noticed similarly minimal docstrings on a number of builtin functions and methods.

If I wanted to contribute a PR to enhance these docstrings, where would they go? I've seen mention of "argument clinic", but really don't know quite what that is, or how it works, but it appears to be related.

Anyway -- more comprehensive docstrings on buildins could really help Python's usability for command line usage.

Thanks,

--

Christopher Barker, Ph.D. Oceanographer

Emergency Response Division NOAA/NOS/OR&R (206) 526-6959 voice 7600 Sand Point Way NE (206) 526-6329 fax Seattle, WA 98115 (206) 526-6317 main reception

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