Steven Bethard wrote: > Ivan Van Laningham wrote: >> The Python docs are not ideal. I can never remember, for instance, >> where to find string methods (not methods in the string module, but >> methods with '') > > Hmmm... Well going to http://docs.python.org/ and typing "string > methods" into the search box gives, as the first hit: > > http://docs.python.org/lib/string-methods.html > > Even if you just search for "string", that URL is the second hit, and > pretty clearly the right one from the title. > > STeVe
Heh, searching "dict methods" didn't produce the correct results on the first page. "dictionary methods" did. searching for "append" returned the array's module page as the first result, and list's module page as the 8th result. Search for "static" came up with nothing. Search for "staticmethod" came up with the built-in-funcs page, from which I had to search again for "staticmethod". The search mechanism isn't all that great (imo anyways). Honestly, neither is the PHP one, except when you are only searching the function list. Then its the bomb. I also like how each PHP function gets its own page and each page is full of examples. And I love how each page shows related functions. Granted its easier to do the function list search for PHP because there are no namespaces or classes, but still I think Python could do something similar. Say for instance search for "append" and it will come back with a page for list's append, a page for array's append, etc. My idea for a manual's table of contents: 1. Variables 2. Conditional and Branching Constructs 3. Looping Constructs 4. Functions 5. Modules 6. Classes 7. Exceptions 8. Built-in 8.1 Functions 8.2 Types Of course there should be more detailed sublevels. The tutorial (at least chapters 3-11) make a good (partial) manual. I think those chapters should be the basis for a real manual vs. a tutorial. If I wanted to learn about "types" in Python, where do I look? The PHP manual has a whole section on the built-in types, how to get the type of a var, how to change cast the type of a var, etc. I think that is such an important and basic part of any language, yet its scattered all over Python documention, difficult to find (i.e. not in a manual, but the library reference). I guess what I'm trying to say is that there should be a "manual" which is half way between the tutorial and the library reference, that is organized more like a traditional manual (whatever that means, right?) and is more easily searchable. -- C -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list