[IPython-dev] Enhanced IPython Help

[Steven H. Rogers]

Fernando Perez wrote:
> Hi Steven,
>
> On Nov 18, 2007 11:50 PM, Ville M. Vainio <vivainio at gmail.com> wrote:
>   
>> On Nov 17, 2007 4:39 AM, Steven H. Rogers <steve at shrogers.com> wrote:
>>
>>     
>>> Unless someone has a better idea, I'm planning to extend "?" such that
>>> if the search string isn't found in the local namespace, modules in
>>> PYTHONPATH are searched for a match.  I'm looking at `pyndexter
>>> <http://swapoff.org/pyndexter>`_ for indexing and searching.  Any ideas
>>> welcome.  Should work from the IPython or IPython1 svn repositories?
>>>       
>
> Many thanks for keeping an eye on this idea.  I really think it will
> make a big difference in usability for everyone to have nice, well
> integrated help available interactively.
>
> I see from
>
> http://swapoff.org/browser/pyndexter/trunk/COPYING
>
> that the pyndexter license is BSD, which is great.
>
> Given that the current interactive response to things like '?' is only
> implemented in the main IPython (not '1') repo, you should work from
> there.  I'll be happy to give you SVN access to make a branch if you
> find that you need it, until the work is ready for merging into trunk.
>
>   
>> As I see it, you should make it as IPython-independent as possible,
>> and then we'll add small wrappers to both IPython branches (probably
>> as Extensions).
>>     
>
> The bulk of it should definitely be as self-contained and modular as
> possible, but if you find that depending on any of ipython makes life
> easier for you, don't be afraid to.  By this I mean that if
>
> from IPython import something
>
> helps your project, go ahead and do it freely.  As far as wiring it
> into the interactive behavior, there it definitely makes sense to have
> your code be in its own module(s), and then simply wire a line or two
> into the ipython help code to call out to your module.
>
> Cheers,
>
> f
>
>   
I don't see any need for any IPython dependency beyond the desire to use 
the '?' symbol.  It should be usable in a standard Python shell.  Now 
for a module name.  I called the wiki page SearchDocs, so is searchdocs 
or perhaps docsearch a reasonable module name?

Happy Thanksgiving,
# Steve