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From: "Ivan Evstegneev" <webmailgroups@gmail.com>
To: "'Jean-Michel Pichavant'" <jeanmichel@sequans.com>
References: <000001cff8e7$af51ef30$0df5cd90$@gmail.com> <88543346.5460.1415188500802.JavaMail.root@sequans.com>
In-Reply-To: <88543346.5460.1415188500802.JavaMail.root@sequans.com>
Subject: RE: Understanding "help" command description syntax - explanation needed
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2014 14:13:35 +0200
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Firtst of all thanks for reply.

>>brackets [] means that the argument is optional.

That's what I'm talking about (asking actually), where do you know it =
from?=20
I mean, if there are some resources, which explain all these syntax =
abbreviations? The general concept.


Like this one(just for example):
class bytearray([source[, encoding[, errors]]]) --- What does it mean?=20
Is that  I can use it in optional way?=20
Like: class bytearray(source) or class bytearray(encoding) ?
or just write down all three of them?=20
In which format do I do so?=20

Sincerely,

Ivan.

=20




-----Original Message-----
From: Jean-Michel Pichavant [mailto:jeanmichel@sequans.com]=20
Sent: Wednesday, November 5, 2014 13:55
To: Ivan Evstegneev
Cc: python-list@python.org
Subject: Re: Understanding "help" command description syntax - =
explanation needed

---- Original Message -----
> From: "Ivan Evstegneev" <webmailgroups@gmail.com>
> To: python-list@python.org
> Sent: Wednesday, 5 November, 2014 12:00:16 PM
> Subject: Understanding "help" command description syntax - explanation =

> needed So here is the question itself:
>=20
> If I use the help command to check the =E2=80=9Crange=E2=80=9D command =
I get this
> info:
>=20
>=20
>=20
> range(stop) -> range object
>=20
> range(start, stop[, step]) -> range object

With python 2.7, when I type help(range), I get

"""
Help on built-in function range in module __builtin__:

range(...)
    range([start,] stop[, step]) -> list of integers
   =20
    Return a list containing an arithmetic progression of integers.
    range(i, j) returns [i, i+1, i+2, ..., j-1]; start (!) defaults to =
0.
    When step is given, it specifies the increment (or decrement).
    For example, range(4) returns [0, 1, 2, 3].  The end point is =
omitted!
    These are exactly the valid indices for a list of 4 elements.
"""

range([start,] stop[, step]) tells you how to call the range function, =
there's a start, stop and step argument.
The purpose of these arguments are given by the longer description.

brackets [] means that the argument is optional.

Though there's nothing wrong with googling the function for help, I'm =
doing it all the time.
Actually, the python documentation is a better place to get help on a =
particular function, just make sure you hit the correct version, for =
either python 2 or 3:

https://docs.python.org/2/library/functions.html#range

I'm using python's help function only when working offline.

JM



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