Issue #19980: Improved help() for non-recognized strings. help('') now
shows the help on str. help('help') now shows the help on help().
Original patch by Mark Lawrence.
diff --git a/Lib/pydoc.py b/Lib/pydoc.py
index b762389..c92b324 100755
--- a/Lib/pydoc.py
+++ b/Lib/pydoc.py
@@ -1577,7 +1577,10 @@
if isinstance(thing, str):
object = locate(thing, forceload)
if not object:
- raise ImportError('no Python documentation found for %r' % thing)
+ raise ImportError('''\
+No Python documentation found for %r.
+Use help() to get the interactive help utility.
+Use help(str) for help on the str class.''' % thing)
return object, thing
else:
name = getattr(thing, '__name__', None)
@@ -1848,7 +1851,10 @@
break
request = replace(request, '"', '', "'", '').strip()
if request.lower() in ('q', 'quit'): break
- self.help(request)
+ if request == 'help':
+ self.intro()
+ else:
+ self.help(request)
def getline(self, prompt):
"""Read one line, using input() when appropriate."""
@@ -1862,8 +1868,7 @@
def help(self, request):
if type(request) is type(''):
request = request.strip()
- if request == 'help': self.intro()
- elif request == 'keywords': self.listkeywords()
+ if request == 'keywords': self.listkeywords()
elif request == 'symbols': self.listsymbols()
elif request == 'topics': self.listtopics()
elif request == 'modules': self.listmodules()
@@ -1876,6 +1881,7 @@
elif request in self.keywords: self.showtopic(request)
elif request in self.topics: self.showtopic(request)
elif request: doc(request, 'Help on %s:', output=self._output)
+ else: doc(str, 'Help on %s:', output=self._output)
elif isinstance(request, Helper): self()
else: doc(request, 'Help on %s:', output=self._output)
self.output.write('\n')