How to comment parameters for pydoc
Another example
#!/usr/bin/env python
"""
Module documentation
A small example of comments usage
"""
# regular comment,
# will not visible by pydoc
spam = 40
def square(x):
"""
this function will return square(x) value
:param x: any number
:return: example doc for return
"""
return x ** 2
import abc
class ListInherited:
"""
Class ListInherited doc example
This class use dir() function for list instance attributes
"""
def __init__(self, arg1):
"""
my constructor
:param arg1: example value
:return:
"""
self.arg1 = arg1
def __str__(self):
"""
to string conversion
:return:
"""
tup = (self.__class__.__name__, id(self), self.attr_names())
return '<Instance of %s, address %s:\n%s>' % tup
def attr_names(self):
"""
get attribute names
:return: string
"""
result = ''
for attr in dir(self):
if attr[:2] == '__' and attr[-2:] == '__': # skip "build-in"
result += '\t name %s=<>\n' % attr
else:
result += '\t name %s=%s\n' % (attr, getattr(self, attr))
return result
@staticmethod
def my_static_method(count):
"""
static method comment example
:param count:
:return:
"""
return "Hello, I'm static" * count
if __name__ == "__main__":
import test3
x = 33
y = test3.square(x)
print(test3.__doc__)
print(test3.square.__doc__)
instance = ListInherited(1)
print(instance.__doc__)
In python console
>>> import test3
>>> help(test3)
Output:
Help on module test3:
NAME
test3
FILE
/home/mrdinkelman/PycharmProjects/testproject27/test3.py
DESCRIPTION
Module documentation
A small example of comments usage
CLASSES
ListInherited
class ListInherited
| Class ListInherited doc example
| This class use dir() function for list instance attributes
|
| Methods defined here:
|
| __init__(self, arg1)
| my constructor
| :param arg1: example value
| :return:
|
| __str__(self)
| to string conversion
| :return:
|
| attr_names(self)
| get attribute names
| :return: string
|
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------
| Static methods defined here:
|
| my_static_method(count)
| static method comment example
| :param count:
| :return:
FUNCTIONS
square(x)
this function will return square(x) value
:param x: any number
:return: example doc for return
DATA
spam = 40
pydoc doesn't recognise "structured" elements in docstrings, it just outputs the docstring as is. See PEP-257 for an example.
If you want a "formatted" documentation you should use another documentation generator, such as Sphinx or pdoc, for example.
The parameters for functions have to be documented in the functions docstring. Here is an example taken from this answer:
"""
This example module shows various types of documentation available for use
with pydoc. To generate HTML documentation for this module issue the
command:
pydoc -w foo
"""
class Foo(object):
"""
Foo encapsulates a name and an age.
"""
def __init__(self, name, age):
"""
Construct a new 'Foo' object.
:param name: The name of foo
:param age: The ageof foo
:return: returns nothing
"""
self.name = name
self.age
def bar(baz):
"""
Prints baz to the display.
"""
print baz
if __name__ == '__main__':
f = Foo('John Doe', 42)
bar("hello world")
Here is another more explicit example if you want to take advantage of restructured text with more parameter descriptors, such as :type param:
or :rtype:
taken from here
"""
The ``obvious`` module
======================
Use it to import very obvious functions.
:Example:
>>> from obvious import add
>>> add(1, 1)
2
This is a subtitle
-------------------
You can say so many things here ! You can say so many things here !
You can say so many things here ! You can say so many things here !
You can say so many things here ! You can say so many things here !
You can say so many things here ! You can say so many things here !
This is another subtitle
------------------------
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod
tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam,
quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo
consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse
cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non
proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
"""
def add(a, b):
"""
Adds two numbers and returns the result.
This add two real numbers and return a real result. You will want to
use this function in any place you would usually use the ``+`` operator
but requires a functional equivalent.
:param a: The first number to add
:param b: The second number to add
:type a: int
:type b: int
:return: The result of the addition
:rtype: int
:Example:
>>> add(1, 1)
2
>>> add(2.1, 3.4) # all int compatible types work
5.5
.. seealso:: sub(), div(), mul()
.. warnings:: This is a completly useless function. Use it only in a
tutorial unless you want to look like a fool.
.. note:: You may want to use a lambda function instead of this.
.. todo:: Delete this function. Then masturbate with olive oil.
"""
return a + b
You can also use different docstring formats (like Google or Numpy), which I recommend!!! to make your docstrings clearer.
Hope this helps!