CODEWITHSUNDEEP
pythonpython-2.7python-3.x
akD
akD

Reputation: 1257

Print docstring from class, function, method, module

The documentation string (docstring) is like a comment; but used in different way. It is used to give brief info of any class, function, method, module, etc. It is not mandatory but obligatory for source code.

Docstring give the code more readability and understanding. Print the documentation string (docstring) from module, function, class, or method definition.

class Test(object):
    ''' class documentation '''
    var = 5                             

    def __init__(self):
        ''' init(constructor) documentation '''
        self.var = 9                    

    def change(self):
        ''' change(self) '''
        self.var = 13
        print self.var

    def __del__(self):
        print "Destructor deleting object - ", self.var

cls = Test()

print Test.__doc__
print cls.__init__.__doc__
print cls.change.__doc__

print Test.var
print cls.var
cls.change()

def PrintDoc():
    """ inside PrintDoc """
    new = 12

print PrintDoc.__doc__

Upvotes: 2

Views: 5814

Answers (2)

Oin
Oin

Reputation: 7529

You can print the module's docstring:

"""This module does things"""


if __name__ == '__main__':
    print __doc__

Or just have a main function:

def main():
    """What I do when ran as a script"""
    pass

if __name__ == '__main__':
    print main.__doc__
    main()

Upvotes: 6

Tim Pietzcker
Tim Pietzcker

Reputation: 336128

So, in effect you want to print the docstring of the current module, right? A docstring needs to be the first string in the file. You can't put it after the if statement as in your code sample - that isn't a docstring anymore.

But if it's at the top of the file, you can simply

print __doc__

Upvotes: 0

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