In Python dir() returns the list of names in the current local scope.
__doc__ returns the complete docstring of an object.
How can I list all names in the current local scope and print the first line of each item's docstring ?
To elaborate: for import numpy as np I would like to get a list of short descriptions of all names returned by dir(np) e.g. print(np.nonzero.__doc__.split('.', 1)[0]).
How can I do this ?
def print_members(obj):
for key in dir(obj):
value = getattr(obj, key)
doc = (value.__doc__ or '').split('.', 1)[0]
print('MEMBER: %s\nDOCSTRING: %s\n\n' % (key, doc))
I've used something like this. It's similar but not exactly what you're looking for. You can adjust the docstring output to your needs.
###############################################################################
def about(obj=None, text=None, capsOnly=False, noLeadingUnderScores=False):
"""
Utility function to assist with discovery while playing in the Python
shell. When possible, returns the sorted dir() and values() of the
specified object.
* noLeadingUnderScores - toggles display filtering of items that have a
leading underscore; only applies to dir() not
values() items.
* capsOnly - toggles display filtering of items that are uppercase only.
this only applies to dir() not values() items.
* text - toggles the display filtering of items that have 'text'
within their string; applies to both dir() and values() items.
"""
print "\n*******************\n* print __obj__ *\n*******************\n"
if obj is None:
print "about() is meaningless as 'obj' is None"
else:
# diplay help(), if possible
try:
if obj.__doc__:
print "\n\n********************\n* HELP() results *\n********************\n"
for x in obj.__doc__.split('\n'):
print x
except:
print "\nno __obj__ available"
# display dir(), if possible
print "\n\n*******************\n* DIR() results *\n*******************\n"
for x in sorted(dir(obj)):
temp = "%s" % x
if noLeadingUnderScores and len(temp) > 0 and temp[0] == "_":
continue
elif capsOnly:
if temp == temp.upper():
if text and text in temp:
print temp
else:
continue
elif text:
if text in temp:
print temp
else:
print temp
# display values(), is possible
try:
if obj.values and type(obj.values) == type({}):
print "\n\n**********************\n* DICT values(k,v) *\n**********************\n"
for x in sorted(obj.values.keys()):
if text:
if text in x or text in str(obj.values[x]):
print x, obj.values[x]
else:
print x, obj.values[x]
except:
print "\nno dictionary like obj.values available"
