[Python-Dev] More pydoc questions

[David Abrahams]

I recently added an invocation to help(my_extension_module) to the
Boost.Python test suite, to prove that I can give reasonable help output.
Worked great for me, since I was always running the test from within emacs.
However, some other developer complained that the test required user
intervention to run, since it would prompt at each screenful. So, I changed
it to:

    print pydoc.TextDoc().docmodule(my_extension_module)

Now I get (well, I'm not sure how this will show up in your mailer, but for
me it's full of control characters):

NNAAMMEE
    docstring_ext

FFIILLEE

c:\build\libs\python\test\bin\docstring_ext.pyd\vc7.1\debug\runtime-link-dy
namic\docstring_ext.pyd

DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN
    A simple test module for documentation strings
    Exercised by docstring.py

CCLLAASSSSEESS
    Boost.Python.instance(__builtin__.object)
        X

    class XX(Boost.Python.instance)
     |  A simple class wrapper around a C++ int

    ...


So my question is, is there a way to dump the text help for a module
without prompting and without any extra control characters?

TIA,
Dave

P.S. Another question: the docmodule() function takes two optional
arguments whose role is undocumented. What are they for?

-----------------------------------------------------------
           David Abrahams * Boost Consulting
dave@boost-consulting.com * http://www.boost-consulting.com