Greetings, Recently a thread about Python's online help utility was buried within another thread with a different Subject. So I thought I'd try to summarize that thread within a thread in a thread of its own. It would be helpful for those running different versions of Python on differnet systems to contribute their online help experiences if they differ from what I'm posting. I'm running Python 2.4.3 in bash, in a Konsole (KDE) running on the Linux 2.6.15 kernel.
1) Starting the Python Interactive Interpreter: $ python Python 2.4.3 (#2, Oct 6 2006, 07:52:30) [GCC 4.0.3 (Ubuntu 4.0.3-1ubuntu5)] on linux2 Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information. >>> It says to type "help", so that's what I type: >>> "help" 'help' Oops! That doesn't work very well now, does it? >>> help Type help() for interactive help, or help(object) for help about object. Ahhhh! That's better. If I'm new to Python, I probably won't know what 'object' means in help(object), so maybe 'help()' will be a good start? >>> help() Welcome to Python 2.4! This is the online help utility. If this is your first time using Python, you should definitely check out the tutorial on the Internet at http://www.python.org/doc/tut/. Enter the name of any module, keyword, or topic to get help on writing Python programs and using Python modules. To quit this help utility and return to the interpreter, just type "quit". To get a list of available modules, keywords, or topics, type "modules", "keywords", or "topics". Each module also comes with a one-line summary of what it does; to list the modules whose summaries contain a given word such as "spam", type "modules spam". help> OK! The first thing I notice is that the interactive prompt has changed from '>>>' to 'help>'. There is some VERY USEFUL INFORMATION in the splash text. For example, to get out of the help utility, and return to the interpreter, I need to type "quit" <-- it can be typed WITHOUT the quotes! Three other words are suggested for use here: modules, keywords, and topics. So now I have four words I can use at the 'help>' prompt to get help: quit, topics, modules, and keywords. help> keywords Here is a list of the Python keywords. Enter any keyword to get more help. and else import raise assert except in return break exec is try class finally lambda while continue for not yield def from or del global pass elif if print help> pass ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6.4 The pass statement pass_stmt ::= "pass" Download entire grammar as text.[1] [snip] On my machine, when the help has ended, END is displayed, and I must type a "q" to get back to the help prompt. help> modules Please wait a moment while I gather a list of all available modules... ArgImagePlugin UserList fpectl qtxml ArrayPrinter UserString fpformat quopri BaseHTTPServer WalImageFile ftplib random [snip] Enter any module name to get more help. Or, type "modules spam" to search for modules whose descriptions contain the word "spam". help> modules random Here is a list of matching modules. Enter any module name to get more help. random - Random variable generators. whrandom - Wichman-Hill random number generator. _random RNG (package) - x=CreateGenerator(seed) creates an random number generator stream RandomArray Here again, when at the help> prompt, no quotes are necessary around the words entered. help> topics topics Here is a list of available topics. Enter any topic name to get more help. ASSERTION DELETION LOOPING SEQUENCES ASSIGNMENT DICTIONARIES MAPPINGMETHODS SHIFTING ATTRIBUTEMETHODS DICTIONARYLITERALS MAPPINGS SLICINGS ATTRIBUTES DYNAMICFEATURES METHODS SPECIALATTRIBUTES [snip] help> POWER ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5.4 The power operator The power operator binds more tightly than unary operators on its left; it binds less tightly than unary operators on its right. The syntax is: power ::= primary[1] ["**" u_expr[2]] Download entire grammar as text.[3] [snip] : The colon means I can type SPACE for another page, or ARROW key to move a line. At the end, or at any time, I can type a "q" to return to the help> prompt. help> quit You are now leaving help and returning to the Python interpreter. If you want to ask for help on a particular object directly from the interpreter, you can type "help(object)". Executing "help('string')" has the same effect as typing a particular string at the help> prompt. >>> Ctrl-D $ When I quit help(), I'm returned to the Python interpreter's interactive prompt. The ending message has some useful information in it! Read it! Ctrl-D returns me to the bash prompt. I think this summarizes what has been discussed so far? Happy Programming! -- b h a a l u u at g m a i l dot c o m _______________________________________________ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
