[New-bugs-announce] [issue45100] Teach help about typing.overload()

[Raymond Hettinger]

New submission from Raymond Hettinger <raymond.hettinger at gmail.com>:

Python's help() function does not display overloaded function signatures.

For example, this code:

    from typing import Union

    class Smudge(str):

        @overload
        def __getitem__(self, index: int) -> str:
            ...

        @overload
        def __getitem__(self, index: slice) -> 'Smudge':
            ...

        def __getitem__(self, index: Union[int, slice]) -> Union[str, 'Smudge']:
            'Return a smudged character or characters.' 
            if isinstance(index, slice):
                start, stop, step = index.indices(len(self))
                values = [self[i] for i in range(start, stop, step)]
                return Smudge(''.join(values))
            c = super().__getitem__(index)
            return chr(ord(c) ^ 1)


Currently gives this help:

    __getitem__(self, index: Union[int, slice]) -> Union[str, ForwardRef('Smudge')]
        Return a smudged character or characters.


What is desired is:

    __getitem__(self, index: int) -> str
    __getitem__(self, index: slice) -> ForwardRef('Smudge')
        Return a smudged character or characters.

The overload() decorator is sufficient for informing a static type checker but insufficient for informing a user or editing tool.

----------
messages: 401052
nosy: rhettinger
priority: normal
severity: normal
status: open
title: Teach help about typing.overload()

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Python tracker <report at bugs.python.org>
<https://bugs.python.org/issue45100>
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