[Python-ideas] Should we improve `dir`?

[Mark Janssen]

> I recently stumbled over `dir()` not working correctly in the case of
> classes:

Not working correctly?  That would imply an adequate definition of
"correctness".

Dir should divulge all method and attribute names of a class -- a
"directory", as it were.  In my opinion, it should not report
__bases__, __name__, __doc__, or __class__ -- all of which are
meta-things not meant for the user of a class.  If a programmer wants
to see more, then the inspect module would presumably be appropriate,
or simply calling for help().

--mark



>
> http://jedidjah.ch/code/2013/9/8/wrong_dir_function/
>
> In short:
>
> `dir` doesn't list the `type` methods, which it should in my opinion,
> because there are very important attributes in there like `__name__` or
> `__bases__`.
>
> This led to some confusion in the past, e.g.
> http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/python/python/507363.
>
> The long version is in the above link.
>
> After discussions, I realized that I should probably bring this up in
> python-ideas, I think the current implementation can be very confusing for
> people trying to introspect classes with `dir`, which is IMHO its typical
> use case.
>
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-- 
MarkJ
Tacoma, Washington