[ python-Bugs-1650090 ] doctest doesn't find nested functions

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Bugs item #1650090, was opened at 2007-02-01 20:20
Message generated for change (Comment added) made by zseil
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Category: Python Library
Group: Python 2.5
Status: Open
Resolution: None
Priority: 5
Private: No
Submitted By: Daniel Brown (danb37)
Assigned to: Tim Peters (tim_one)
Summary: doctest doesn't find nested functions

Initial Comment:
If a nested function has doctests, they won't be run:
{{{
def f():
  '''
  >>> 'a'
  'a'
  '''

  def g():
    '''
    >>> 'a'
    'b'
    '''
    pass

  pass
}}}

DocTestFinder will only find f's doctest and won't recurse to find g's, surprising the programmer when they (hopefully) discover that their inner doctest is incorrect!

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>Comment By: Žiga Seilnacht (zseil)
Date: 2007-03-17 01:37

Message:
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Here is a patch that implements this new functionality.
I don't know how desireable this feature is, I just
wanted to see if it could be done.
File Added: doctest_nested_functions.diff

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Comment By: Piet Delport (pjdelport)
Date: 2007-03-16 21:44

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DocTestFinder uses object inspection to find docstrings, which doesn't
really allow this kind of thing:  g isn't created until f is actually run.

Making this possible would probably require implementing an alternate
doctest finder based on source code inspection (via the new _ast module?).

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