This may even be a bug/feature of IPython, 

I see that inspect.signature(timedelta) fails, so if  timedelta? says

Init signature: timedelta(self, /, *args, **kwargs)

Then this may be some IPython internal logic. The timedelta class seem to use __new__ instead of __init__ (not sure why)

Because it's an immutable type.

and __new__ have a meaningful signature, 

So maybe we should fallback on that during signature inspection.

According to https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4374006/check-for-mutability-in-python ,
there are no reliable tests for mutability.

Feel free to open an issue on the IPython repo. 

Btw IPython is uppercase I, and we don't want any troupe with the fruit giant. 

-- 

M

On Mon, 4 Jun 2018 at 16:30, Chris Barker via Python-Dev <python-dev@python.org> wrote:

On Mon, Jun 4, 2018 at 3:27 PM, Victor Stinner <vstinner@redhat.com> wrote:

For Argument Clinic, have a look at
https://docs.python.org/dev/howto/clinic.html

Thanks Victor -- scanning that page, it is indeed where I needed to look.

You can also try to copy/paste code from other files using Argument
Clinic and then run "make clinic" to regenerate the generated files.

good idea.

Now to find some time to actually work on this...

-CHB

 

Victor

2018-06-04 23:45 GMT+02:00 Chris Barker via Python-Dev <python-dev@python.org>:
> Over on python-ideas, someone is/was proposing literals for timedeltas.
>
> I don't expect that will come to anything, but it did make me take a look at
> the docstring for datetime.timedelta. I use iPython's ? a lot for a quick
> overview of how to use a class/function.
>
> This is what I get:
>
> In [8]: timedelta?
> Init signature: timedelta(self, /, *args, **kwargs)
> Docstring:      Difference between two datetime values.
> File:           ~/miniconda2/envs/py3/lib/python3.6/datetime.py
> Type:           type
>
>
> That is, well, not so useful. I'd like to see at least the signature:
>
> datetime.timedelta(days=0, seconds=0, microseconds=0, milliseconds=0,
> minutes=0, hours=0, weeks=0
>
> And ideally much of the text in the docs.
>
> I've noticed similarly minimal docstrings on a number of builtin functions
> and methods.
>
> If I wanted to contribute a PR to enhance these docstrings, where would they
> go?  I've seen mention of "argument clinic", but really don't know quite
> what that is, or how it works, but it appears to be related.
>
> Anyway -- more comprehensive docstrings on buildins could really help
> Python's usability for command line usage.
>
> Thanks,
> -  Chris
>
>
>
>
> --
>
> Christopher Barker, Ph.D.
> Oceanographer
>
> Emergency Response Division
> NOAA/NOS/OR&R            (206) 526-6959   voice
> 7600 Sand Point Way NE   (206) 526-6329   fax
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>
> Chris.Barker@noaa.gov
>

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--

Christopher Barker, Ph.D.
Oceanographer

Emergency Response Division
NOAA/NOS/OR&R            (206) 526-6959   voice
7600 Sand Point Way NE   (206) 526-6329   fax
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Regards,
Ivan