[Python-Dev] Questions/comments on documentation formatting

[Michael Foord]

Brett Cannon wrote:
> On Mon, Jan 19, 2009 at 19:02, Scott Dial
> <scott+python-dev at scottdial.com> wrote:
>   
>> Brett Cannon wrote:
>>     
>>> 3. Are brackets for optional arguments (e.g. ``def fxn(a [, b=None [,
>>> c=None]])``) really necessary when default argument values are
>>> present? And do we really need to nest the brackets when it is obvious
>>> that having on optional argument means the rest are optional as well?
>>>       
>> I can't think of an example off the top of my head, but I'm certain the
>> point of nesting the brackets is to delimit the optional arguments into
>> groups. Documenting your fxn() examples as "fxn(a [, b=None, c=None])"
>> would imply that if you provide 'b' then you must provide 'c', or if we
>> abandon nested brackets, it's ambiguous as to the requirements. Imagine
>> seeing "foo(a [, b=None, c=None [, d=None]])" and I think the rationale
>> for such notation becomes clear.
>>     
>
> Well, that is such a rare case that I don't know if it warrants the
> line noise in the argument declaration. That argument also doesn't
> make sense in the face of ``fxn(a [, a=None [, b=None]])`` where 'b'
> almost always has no connection to 'a', but is still supposed to be
> listed that way because of positional arguments being optional. I
> understand using them for C functions where there is no such thing as
> a default argument, but it just doesn't make a ton of sense for Python
> code. I don't know of anyone who was confused by what help() spit out
> and not having fancy bracketing.
>
>   

I think the square bracketing is ugly and does nothing for clarity or 
readability. The sooner it can be phased out the better.

Function annotations should probably only be used in API descriptions 
where those annotations actually exist - otherwise when there are real 
annotations you have a conflict on how to indicate that in the 
documentation.

Michael

> -Brett
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