cpython-lru_cache-weakref: Doc/lib/libfuncs.tex annotate

annotate Doc/lib/libfuncs.tex @ 20010:d03c19db3094 legacy-trunk

Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a "new in 2.2" blurb at the end. Replace open()'s text by pointing back to file().

author	Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com>
date	Thu, 20 Sep 2001 19:55:29 +0000
parents	7b722b6cc77b
children	784e21bdd9a2

rev	line source
8918 acfffe14628e New section header style. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 8787 diff changeset	1 \section{Built-in Functions \label{built-in-funcs}}
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	2
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	3 The Python interpreter has a number of functions built into it that
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	4 are always available. They are listed here in alphabetical order.
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	5
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	6
7277 bf4e790bd61a Remove all \bcode / \ecode cruft; this is no longer needed. See previous Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7096 diff changeset	7 \setindexsubitem{(built-in function)}
6385 14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	8
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	9 \begin{funcdesc}{__import__}{name\optional{, globals\optional{, locals\optional{, fromlist}}}}
10967 70cf13609aed Adjust indexing for __import__(); based on comments by Stefan Franke Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10834 diff changeset	10 This function is invoked by the
70cf13609aed Adjust indexing for __import__(); based on comments by Stefan Franke Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10834 diff changeset	11 \keyword{import}\stindex{import} statement. It mainly
70cf13609aed Adjust indexing for __import__(); based on comments by Stefan Franke Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10834 diff changeset	12 exists so that you can replace it with another function that has a
70cf13609aed Adjust indexing for __import__(); based on comments by Stefan Franke Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10834 diff changeset	13 compatible interface, in order to change the semantics of the
70cf13609aed Adjust indexing for __import__(); based on comments by Stefan Franke Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10834 diff changeset	14 \keyword{import} statement. For examples of why and how you would do
70cf13609aed Adjust indexing for __import__(); based on comments by Stefan Franke Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10834 diff changeset	15 this, see the standard library modules
70cf13609aed Adjust indexing for __import__(); based on comments by Stefan Franke Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10834 diff changeset	16 \module{ihooks}\refstmodindex{ihooks} and
70cf13609aed Adjust indexing for __import__(); based on comments by Stefan Franke Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10834 diff changeset	17 \refmodule{rexec}\refstmodindex{rexec}. See also the built-in module
70cf13609aed Adjust indexing for __import__(); based on comments by Stefan Franke Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10834 diff changeset	18 \refmodule{imp}\refbimodindex{imp}, which defines some useful
70cf13609aed Adjust indexing for __import__(); based on comments by Stefan Franke Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10834 diff changeset	19 operations out of which you can build your own
70cf13609aed Adjust indexing for __import__(); based on comments by Stefan Franke Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10834 diff changeset	20 \function{__import__()} function.
6385 14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	21
15995 88325b73a6a3 Minor markup cleaning, and one required fix in the unistr() description. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 15952 diff changeset	22 For example, the statement \samp{import spam} results in the
7292 6ad234ad8de5 In description of __import__, second paragraph, break up the markup for long Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7277 diff changeset	23 following call:
6ad234ad8de5 In description of __import__, second paragraph, break up the markup for long Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7277 diff changeset	24 \code{__import__('spam',} \code{globals(),} \code{locals(), [])};
15995 88325b73a6a3 Minor markup cleaning, and one required fix in the unistr() description. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 15952 diff changeset	25 the statement \samp{from spam.ham import eggs} results
88325b73a6a3 Minor markup cleaning, and one required fix in the unistr() description. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 15952 diff changeset	26 in \samp{__import__('spam.ham', globals(), locals(), ['eggs'])}.
6385 14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	27 Note that even though \code{locals()} and \code{['eggs']} are passed
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	28 in as arguments, the \function{__import__()} function does not set the
6385 14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	29 local variable named \code{eggs}; this is done by subsequent code that
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	30 is generated for the import statement. (In fact, the standard
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	31 implementation does not use its \var{locals} argument at all, and uses
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	32 its \var{globals} only to determine the package context of the
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	33 \keyword{import} statement.)
6385 14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	34
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	35 When the \var{name} variable is of the form \code{package.module},
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	36 normally, the top-level package (the name up till the first dot) is
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	37 returned, \emph{not} the module named by \var{name}. However, when a
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	38 non-empty \var{fromlist} argument is given, the module named by
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	39 \var{name} is returned. This is done for compatibility with the
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	40 bytecode generated for the different kinds of import statement; when
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	41 using \samp{import spam.ham.eggs}, the top-level package \code{spam}
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	42 must be placed in the importing namespace, but when using \samp{from
6385 14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	43 spam.ham import eggs}, the \code{spam.ham} subpackage must be used to
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	44 find the \code{eggs} variable.
9583 6483dbe09f06 Add explicit example on how to import a submodule of a package using Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9529 diff changeset	45 As a workaround for this behavior, use \function{getattr()} to extract
6483dbe09f06 Add explicit example on how to import a submodule of a package using Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9529 diff changeset	46 the desired components. For example, you could define the following
6483dbe09f06 Add explicit example on how to import a submodule of a package using Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9529 diff changeset	47 helper:
6483dbe09f06 Add explicit example on how to import a submodule of a package using Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9529 diff changeset	48
6483dbe09f06 Add explicit example on how to import a submodule of a package using Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9529 diff changeset	49 \begin{verbatim}
6483dbe09f06 Add explicit example on how to import a submodule of a package using Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9529 diff changeset	50 import string
6483dbe09f06 Add explicit example on how to import a submodule of a package using Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9529 diff changeset	51
6483dbe09f06 Add explicit example on how to import a submodule of a package using Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9529 diff changeset	52 def my_import(name):
6483dbe09f06 Add explicit example on how to import a submodule of a package using Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9529 diff changeset	53 mod = __import__(name)
6483dbe09f06 Add explicit example on how to import a submodule of a package using Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9529 diff changeset	54 components = string.split(name, '.')
6483dbe09f06 Add explicit example on how to import a submodule of a package using Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9529 diff changeset	55 for comp in components[1:]:
6483dbe09f06 Add explicit example on how to import a submodule of a package using Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9529 diff changeset	56 mod = getattr(mod, comp)
6483dbe09f06 Add explicit example on how to import a submodule of a package using Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9529 diff changeset	57 return mod
6483dbe09f06 Add explicit example on how to import a submodule of a package using Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9529 diff changeset	58 \end{verbatim}
6483dbe09f06 Add explicit example on how to import a submodule of a package using Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9529 diff changeset	59
6385 14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	60 \end{funcdesc}
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	61
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	62 \begin{funcdesc}{abs}{x}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	63 Return the absolute value of a number. The argument may be a plain
5675 fd6acad7cc7a Mention abs(complex) -> magnitude (AMK). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5246 diff changeset	64 or long integer or a floating point number. If the argument is a
6385 14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	65 complex number, its magnitude is returned.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	66 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	67
7712 0cbc9df882b6 Change "\," to just "," in function signatures. This is easier to maintain, Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7526 diff changeset	68 \begin{funcdesc}{apply}{function, args\optional{, keywords}}
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	69 The \var{function} argument must be a callable object (a user-defined or
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	70 built-in function or method, or a class object) and the \var{args}
9189 5fe4d594a0f2 Document that apply() can now take any sequence in argument 2. Barry Warsaw <barry@python.org> parents: 9036 diff changeset	71 argument must be a sequence (if it is not a tuple, the sequence is
5fe4d594a0f2 Document that apply() can now take any sequence in argument 2. Barry Warsaw <barry@python.org> parents: 9036 diff changeset	72 first converted to a tuple). The \var{function} is called with
5fe4d594a0f2 Document that apply() can now take any sequence in argument 2. Barry Warsaw <barry@python.org> parents: 9036 diff changeset	73 \var{args} as the argument list; the number of arguments is the the length
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	74 of the tuple. (This is different from just calling
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	75 \code{\var{func}(\var{args})}, since in that case there is always
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	76 exactly one argument.)
3171 13146cb6f67c apply() third arg Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2816 diff changeset	77 If the optional \var{keywords} argument is present, it must be a
13146cb6f67c apply() third arg Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2816 diff changeset	78 dictionary whose keys are strings. It specifies keyword arguments to
13146cb6f67c apply() third arg Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2816 diff changeset	79 be added to the end of the the argument list.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	80 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	81
10430 d592fe5e09d5 Document new builtin buffer(). Greg Stein. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 10229 diff changeset	82 \begin{funcdesc}{buffer}{object\optional{, offset\optional{, size}}}
d592fe5e09d5 Document new builtin buffer(). Greg Stein. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 10229 diff changeset	83 The \var{object} argument must be an object that supports the
d592fe5e09d5 Document new builtin buffer(). Greg Stein. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 10229 diff changeset	84 buffer call interface (such as strings, arrays, and buffers). A new
d592fe5e09d5 Document new builtin buffer(). Greg Stein. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 10229 diff changeset	85 buffer object will be created which references the \var{object} argument.
d592fe5e09d5 Document new builtin buffer(). Greg Stein. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 10229 diff changeset	86 The buffer object will be a slice from the beginning of \var{object}
d592fe5e09d5 Document new builtin buffer(). Greg Stein. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 10229 diff changeset	87 (or from the specified \var{offset}). The slice will extend to the
d592fe5e09d5 Document new builtin buffer(). Greg Stein. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 10229 diff changeset	88 end of \var{object} (or will have a length given by the \var{size}
d592fe5e09d5 Document new builtin buffer(). Greg Stein. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 10229 diff changeset	89 argument).
d592fe5e09d5 Document new builtin buffer(). Greg Stein. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 10229 diff changeset	90 \end{funcdesc}
d592fe5e09d5 Document new builtin buffer(). Greg Stein. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 10229 diff changeset	91
6385 14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	92 \begin{funcdesc}{callable}{object}
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	93 Return true if the \var{object} argument appears callable, false if
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	94 not. If this returns true, it is still possible that a call fails,
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	95 but if it is false, calling \var{object} will never succeed. Note
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	96 that classes are callable (calling a class returns a new instance);
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	97 class instances are callable if they have a \method{__call__()} method.
6385 14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	98 \end{funcdesc}
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	99
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	100 \begin{funcdesc}{chr}{i}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	101 Return a string of one character whose \ASCII{} code is the integer
18411 eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	102 \var{i}. For example, \code{chr(97)} returns the string \code{'a'}.
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	103 This is the inverse of \function{ord()}. The argument must be in
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	104 the range [0..255], inclusive; \exception{ValueError} will be raised
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	105 if \var{i} is outside that range.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	106 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	107
7712 0cbc9df882b6 Change "\," to just "," in function signatures. This is easier to maintain, Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7526 diff changeset	108 \begin{funcdesc}{cmp}{x, y}
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	109 Compare the two objects \var{x} and \var{y} and return an integer
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	110 according to the outcome. The return value is negative if \code{\var{x}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	111 < \var{y}}, zero if \code{\var{x} == \var{y}} and strictly positive if
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	112 \code{\var{x} > \var{y}}.
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	113 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	114
7712 0cbc9df882b6 Change "\," to just "," in function signatures. This is easier to maintain, Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7526 diff changeset	115 \begin{funcdesc}{coerce}{x, y}
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	116 Return a tuple consisting of the two numeric arguments converted to
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	117 a common type, using the same rules as used by arithmetic
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	118 operations.
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	119 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	120
19666 cf65ebf87560 New restriction on pow(x, y, z): If z is not None, x and y must be of Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19503 diff changeset	121 \begin{funcdesc}{compile}{string, filename, kind\optional{,
19503 17b2afba7a6f Docs for the PEP 264 changes. Michael W. Hudson <mwh@python.net> parents: 18838 diff changeset	122 flags\optional{, dont_inherit}}}
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	123 Compile the \var{string} into a code object. Code objects can be
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	124 executed by an \keyword{exec} statement or evaluated by a call to
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	125 \function{eval()}. The \var{filename} argument should
18411 eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	126 give the file from which the code was read; pass same recognizable value
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	127 if it wasn't read from a file (\code{'<string>'} is commonly used).
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	128 The \var{kind} argument specifies what kind of code must be
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	129 compiled; it can be \code{'exec'} if \var{string} consists of a
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	130 sequence of statements, \code{'eval'} if it consists of a single
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	131 expression, or \code{'single'} if it consists of a single
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	132 interactive statement (in the latter case, expression statements
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	133 that evaluate to something else than \code{None} will printed).
19503 17b2afba7a6f Docs for the PEP 264 changes. Michael W. Hudson <mwh@python.net> parents: 18838 diff changeset	134
17b2afba7a6f Docs for the PEP 264 changes. Michael W. Hudson <mwh@python.net> parents: 18838 diff changeset	135 The optional arguments \var{flags} and \optional{dont_inherit}
17b2afba7a6f Docs for the PEP 264 changes. Michael W. Hudson <mwh@python.net> parents: 18838 diff changeset	136 (which are new in Python 2.2) control which future statements (see
17b2afba7a6f Docs for the PEP 264 changes. Michael W. Hudson <mwh@python.net> parents: 18838 diff changeset	137 \pep{236}) affect the compilation of \var{string}. If neither is
17b2afba7a6f Docs for the PEP 264 changes. Michael W. Hudson <mwh@python.net> parents: 18838 diff changeset	138 present (or both are zero) the code is compiled with those future
17b2afba7a6f Docs for the PEP 264 changes. Michael W. Hudson <mwh@python.net> parents: 18838 diff changeset	139 statements that are in effect in the code that is calling compile.
17b2afba7a6f Docs for the PEP 264 changes. Michael W. Hudson <mwh@python.net> parents: 18838 diff changeset	140 If the \var{flags} argument is given and \var{dont_inherit} is not
17b2afba7a6f Docs for the PEP 264 changes. Michael W. Hudson <mwh@python.net> parents: 18838 diff changeset	141 (or is zero) then the future statements specified by the \var{flags}
17b2afba7a6f Docs for the PEP 264 changes. Michael W. Hudson <mwh@python.net> parents: 18838 diff changeset	142 argument are used in addition to those that would be used anyway.
17b2afba7a6f Docs for the PEP 264 changes. Michael W. Hudson <mwh@python.net> parents: 18838 diff changeset	143 If \var{dont_inherit} is a non-zero integer then the \var{flags}
17b2afba7a6f Docs for the PEP 264 changes. Michael W. Hudson <mwh@python.net> parents: 18838 diff changeset	144 argument is it -- the future statements in effect around the call to
17b2afba7a6f Docs for the PEP 264 changes. Michael W. Hudson <mwh@python.net> parents: 18838 diff changeset	145 compile are ignored.
17b2afba7a6f Docs for the PEP 264 changes. Michael W. Hudson <mwh@python.net> parents: 18838 diff changeset	146
17b2afba7a6f Docs for the PEP 264 changes. Michael W. Hudson <mwh@python.net> parents: 18838 diff changeset	147 Future statemants are specified by bits which can be bitwise or-ed
17b2afba7a6f Docs for the PEP 264 changes. Michael W. Hudson <mwh@python.net> parents: 18838 diff changeset	148 together to specify multiple statements. The bitfield required to
17b2afba7a6f Docs for the PEP 264 changes. Michael W. Hudson <mwh@python.net> parents: 18838 diff changeset	149 specify a given feature can be found as the \member{compiler_flag}
17b2afba7a6f Docs for the PEP 264 changes. Michael W. Hudson <mwh@python.net> parents: 18838 diff changeset	150 attribute on the \class{_Feature} instance in the
17b2afba7a6f Docs for the PEP 264 changes. Michael W. Hudson <mwh@python.net> parents: 18838 diff changeset	151 \module{__future__} module.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	152 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	153
5246 23330a1b9594 Add complex(). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5163 diff changeset	154 \begin{funcdesc}{complex}{real\optional{, imag}}
10468 9cd4fd926df6 Document complex() with string arg. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 10430 diff changeset	155 Create a complex number with the value \var{real} + \var{imag}*j or
9cd4fd926df6 Document complex() with string arg. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 10430 diff changeset	156 convert a string or number to a complex number.
5246 23330a1b9594 Add complex(). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5163 diff changeset	157 Each argument may be any numeric type (including complex).
23330a1b9594 Add complex(). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5163 diff changeset	158 If \var{imag} is omitted, it defaults to zero and the function
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	159 serves as a numeric conversion function like \function{int()},
10468 9cd4fd926df6 Document complex() with string arg. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 10430 diff changeset	160 \function{long()} and \function{float()}; in this case it also
9cd4fd926df6 Document complex() with string arg. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 10430 diff changeset	161 accepts a string argument which should be a valid complex number.
5246 23330a1b9594 Add complex(). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5163 diff changeset	162 \end{funcdesc}
23330a1b9594 Add complex(). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5163 diff changeset	163
7712 0cbc9df882b6 Change "\," to just "," in function signatures. This is easier to maintain, Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7526 diff changeset	164 \begin{funcdesc}{delattr}{object, name}
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	165 This is a relative of \function{setattr()}. The arguments are an
1782 20897816a4b6 Added docs for delattr Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1776 diff changeset	166 object and a string. The string must be the name
20897816a4b6 Added docs for delattr Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1776 diff changeset	167 of one of the object's attributes. The function deletes
20897816a4b6 Added docs for delattr Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1776 diff changeset	168 the named attribute, provided the object allows it. For example,
2491 fb8e08ec88dd changes (suggested) by Soren Larsen Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2453 diff changeset	169 \code{delattr(\var{x}, '\var{foobar}')} is equivalent to
1782 20897816a4b6 Added docs for delattr Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1776 diff changeset	170 \code{del \var{x}.\var{foobar}}.
20897816a4b6 Added docs for delattr Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1776 diff changeset	171 \end{funcdesc}
20897816a4b6 Added docs for delattr Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1776 diff changeset	172
8072 b8162d086850 Signature for dir() omitted the optional argument. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7832 diff changeset	173 \begin{funcdesc}{dir}{\optional{object}}
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	174 Without arguments, return the list of names in the current local
7007 6f2ab4afa8f9 Correct small nits reported by Rob Hooft. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 6874 diff changeset	175 symbol table. With an argument, attempts to return a list of valid
6f2ab4afa8f9 Correct small nits reported by Rob Hooft. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 6874 diff changeset	176 attribute for that object. This information is gleaned from the
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	177 object's \member{__dict__}, \member{__methods__} and \member{__members__}
18411 eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	178 attributes, if defined. The list is not necessarily complete. For
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	179 example, for classes, attributes defined in base classes are not
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	180 included, and for class instances, methods are not included.
7007 6f2ab4afa8f9 Correct small nits reported by Rob Hooft. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 6874 diff changeset	181 The resulting list is sorted alphabetically. For example:
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	182
7277 bf4e790bd61a Remove all \bcode / \ecode cruft; this is no longer needed. See previous Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7096 diff changeset	183 \begin{verbatim}
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	184 >>> import sys
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	185 >>> dir()
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	186 ['sys']
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	187 >>> dir(sys)
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	188 ['argv', 'exit', 'modules', 'path', 'stderr', 'stdin', 'stdout']
7277 bf4e790bd61a Remove all \bcode / \ecode cruft; this is no longer needed. See previous Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7096 diff changeset	189 \end{verbatim}
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	190 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	191
7712 0cbc9df882b6 Change "\," to just "," in function signatures. This is easier to maintain, Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7526 diff changeset	192 \begin{funcdesc}{divmod}{a, b}
7007 6f2ab4afa8f9 Correct small nits reported by Rob Hooft. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 6874 diff changeset	193 Take two numbers as arguments and return a pair of numbers consisting
6f2ab4afa8f9 Correct small nits reported by Rob Hooft. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 6874 diff changeset	194 of their quotient and remainder when using long division. With mixed
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	195 operand types, the rules for binary arithmetic operators apply. For
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	196 plain and long integers, the result is the same as
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	197 \code{(\var{a} / \var{b}, \var{a} \%{} \var{b})}.
10834 5581307db2f7 Reflect recent patch for float % and divmod() by Tim Peters. Content Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10514 diff changeset	198 For floating point numbers the result is \code{(\var{q}, \var{a} \%{}
5581307db2f7 Reflect recent patch for float % and divmod() by Tim Peters. Content Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10514 diff changeset	199 \var{b})}, where \var{q} is usually \code{math.floor(\var{a} /
5581307db2f7 Reflect recent patch for float % and divmod() by Tim Peters. Content Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10514 diff changeset	200 \var{b})} but may be 1 less than that. In any case \code{\var{q} *
5581307db2f7 Reflect recent patch for float % and divmod() by Tim Peters. Content Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10514 diff changeset	201 \var{b} + \var{a} \%{} \var{b}} is very close to \var{a}, if
5581307db2f7 Reflect recent patch for float % and divmod() by Tim Peters. Content Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10514 diff changeset	202 \code{\var{a} \%{} \var{b}} is non-zero it has the same sign as
5581307db2f7 Reflect recent patch for float % and divmod() by Tim Peters. Content Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10514 diff changeset	203 \var{b}, and \code{0 <= abs(\var{a} \%{} \var{b}) < abs(\var{b})}.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	204 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	205
7712 0cbc9df882b6 Change "\," to just "," in function signatures. This is easier to maintain, Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7526 diff changeset	206 \begin{funcdesc}{eval}{expression\optional{, globals\optional{, locals}}}
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	207 The arguments are a string and two optional dictionaries. The
2108 af41f4a21682 updated eval(), added execfile() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1782 diff changeset	208 \var{expression} argument is parsed and evaluated as a Python
af41f4a21682 updated eval(), added execfile() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1782 diff changeset	209 expression (technically speaking, a condition list) using the
af41f4a21682 updated eval(), added execfile() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1782 diff changeset	210 \var{globals} and \var{locals} dictionaries as global and local name
2576 f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	211 space. If the \var{locals} dictionary is omitted it defaults to
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	212 the \var{globals} dictionary. If both dictionaries are omitted, the
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	213 expression is executed in the environment where \keyword{eval} is
2108 af41f4a21682 updated eval(), added execfile() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1782 diff changeset	214 called. The return value is the result of the evaluated expression.
af41f4a21682 updated eval(), added execfile() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1782 diff changeset	215 Syntax errors are reported as exceptions. Example:
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	216
7277 bf4e790bd61a Remove all \bcode / \ecode cruft; this is no longer needed. See previous Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7096 diff changeset	217 \begin{verbatim}
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	218 >>> x = 1
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	219 >>> print eval('x+1')
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	220 2
7277 bf4e790bd61a Remove all \bcode / \ecode cruft; this is no longer needed. See previous Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7096 diff changeset	221 \end{verbatim}
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	222
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	223 This function can also be used to execute arbitrary code objects
18411 eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	224 (such as those created by \function{compile()}). In this case pass
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	225 a code object instead of a string. The code object must have been
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	226 compiled passing \code{'eval'} as the \var{kind} argument.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	227
2491 fb8e08ec88dd changes (suggested) by Soren Larsen Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2453 diff changeset	228 Hints: dynamic execution of statements is supported by the
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	229 \keyword{exec} statement. Execution of statements from a file is
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	230 supported by the \function{execfile()} function. The
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	231 \function{globals()} and \function{locals()} functions returns the
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	232 current global and local dictionary, respectively, which may be
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	233 useful to pass around for use by \function{eval()} or
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	234 \function{execfile()}.
2108 af41f4a21682 updated eval(), added execfile() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1782 diff changeset	235 \end{funcdesc}
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	236
7712 0cbc9df882b6 Change "\," to just "," in function signatures. This is easier to maintain, Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7526 diff changeset	237 \begin{funcdesc}{execfile}{file\optional{, globals\optional{, locals}}}
2576 f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	238 This function is similar to the
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	239 \keyword{exec} statement, but parses a file instead of a string. It
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	240 is different from the \keyword{import} statement in that it does not
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	241 use the module administration --- it reads the file unconditionally
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	242 and does not create a new module.\footnote{It is used relatively
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	243 rarely so does not warrant being made into a statement.}
2108 af41f4a21682 updated eval(), added execfile() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1782 diff changeset	244
af41f4a21682 updated eval(), added execfile() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1782 diff changeset	245 The arguments are a file name and two optional dictionaries. The
af41f4a21682 updated eval(), added execfile() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1782 diff changeset	246 file is parsed and evaluated as a sequence of Python statements
af41f4a21682 updated eval(), added execfile() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1782 diff changeset	247 (similarly to a module) using the \var{globals} and \var{locals}
14520 addaba991077 When referring to namespaces, always say "namespaces" instead of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14487 diff changeset	248 dictionaries as global and local namespace. If the \var{locals}
2576 f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	249 dictionary is omitted it defaults to the \var{globals} dictionary.
2108 af41f4a21682 updated eval(), added execfile() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1782 diff changeset	250 If both dictionaries are omitted, the expression is executed in the
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	251 environment where \function{execfile()} is called. The return value is
2576 f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	252 \code{None}.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	253 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	254
20010 d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	255 \begin{funcdesc}{file}{filename\optional{, mode\optional{, bufsize}}}
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	256 Return a new file object (described earlier under Built-in Types).
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	257 The first two arguments are the same as for \code{stdio}'s
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	258 \cfunction{fopen()}: \var{filename} is the file name to be opened,
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	259 \var{mode} indicates how the file is to be opened: \code{'r'} for
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	260 reading, \code{'w'} for writing (truncating an existing file), and
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	261 \code{'a'} opens it for appending (which on \emph{some} \UNIX{}
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	262 systems means that \emph{all} writes append to the end of the file,
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	263 regardless of the current seek position).
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	264
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	265 Modes \code{'r+'}, \code{'w+'} and \code{'a+'} open the file for
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	266 updating (note that \code{'w+'} truncates the file). Append
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	267 \code{'b'} to the mode to open the file in binary mode, on systems
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	268 that differentiate between binary and text files (else it is
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	269 ignored). If the file cannot be opened, \exception{IOError} is
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	270 raised.
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	271
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	272 If \var{mode} is omitted, it defaults to \code{'r'}. When opening a
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	273 binary file, you should append \code{'b'} to the \var{mode} value
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	274 for improved portability. (It's useful even on systems which don't
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	275 treat binary and text files differently, where it serves as
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	276 documentation.)
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	277 \index{line-buffered I/O}\index{unbuffered I/O}\index{buffer size, I/O}
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	278 \index{I/O control!buffering}
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	279 The optional \var{bufsize} argument specifies the
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	280 file's desired buffer size: 0 means unbuffered, 1 means line
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	281 buffered, any other positive value means use a buffer of
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	282 (approximately) that size. A negative \var{bufsize} means to use
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	283 the system default, which is usually line buffered for for tty
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	284 devices and fully buffered for other files. If omitted, the system
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	285 default is used.\footnote{
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	286 Specifying a buffer size currently has no effect on systems that
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	287 don't have \cfunction{setvbuf()}. The interface to specify the
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	288 buffer size is not done using a method that calls
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	289 \cfunction{setvbuf()}, because that may dump core when called
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	290 after any I/O has been performed, and there's no reliable way to
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	291 determine whether this is the case.}
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	292
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	293 The \function{file()} constructor is new in Python 2.2. The previous
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	294 spelling, \function{open()}, is retained for compatibility, and is an
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	295 alias for \function{file()}.
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	296 \end{funcdesc}
d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	297
7712 0cbc9df882b6 Change "\," to just "," in function signatures. This is easier to maintain, Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7526 diff changeset	298 \begin{funcdesc}{filter}{function, list}
17659 deb8a5e151a3 Update the filter() and list() descriptions to include information about Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 16048 diff changeset	299 Construct a list from those elements of \var{list} for which
deb8a5e151a3 Update the filter() and list() descriptions to include information about Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 16048 diff changeset	300 \var{function} returns true. \var{list} may be either a sequence, a
deb8a5e151a3 Update the filter() and list() descriptions to include information about Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 16048 diff changeset	301 container which supports iteration, or an iterator, If \var{list}
deb8a5e151a3 Update the filter() and list() descriptions to include information about Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 16048 diff changeset	302 is a string or a tuple, the result also has that type; otherwise it
deb8a5e151a3 Update the filter() and list() descriptions to include information about Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 16048 diff changeset	303 is always a list. If \var{function} is \code{None}, the identity
18411 eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	304 function is assumed, that is, all elements of \var{list} that are false
17659 deb8a5e151a3 Update the filter() and list() descriptions to include information about Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 16048 diff changeset	305 (zero or empty) are removed.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	306 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	307
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	308 \begin{funcdesc}{float}{x}
5246 23330a1b9594 Add complex(). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5163 diff changeset	309 Convert a string or a number to floating point. If the argument is a
9602 d7986b4b9100 "singed" --> "signed" (3 places) Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 9583 diff changeset	310 string, it must contain a possibly signed decimal or floating point
10229 ce57eb30968a Add notes to __builtin__.float() and string.atof() that the NaN and Inf Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10222 diff changeset	311 number, possibly embedded in whitespace; this behaves identical to
ce57eb30968a Add notes to __builtin__.float() and string.atof() that the NaN and Inf Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10222 diff changeset	312 \code{string.atof(\var{x})}. Otherwise, the argument may be a plain
ce57eb30968a Add notes to __builtin__.float() and string.atof() that the NaN and Inf Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10222 diff changeset	313 or long integer or a floating point number, and a floating point
ce57eb30968a Add notes to __builtin__.float() and string.atof() that the NaN and Inf Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10222 diff changeset	314 number with the same value (within Python's floating point
ce57eb30968a Add notes to __builtin__.float() and string.atof() that the NaN and Inf Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10222 diff changeset	315 precision) is returned.
ce57eb30968a Add notes to __builtin__.float() and string.atof() that the NaN and Inf Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10222 diff changeset	316
ce57eb30968a Add notes to __builtin__.float() and string.atof() that the NaN and Inf Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10222 diff changeset	317 \strong{Note:} When passing in a string, values for NaN\index{NaN}
ce57eb30968a Add notes to __builtin__.float() and string.atof() that the NaN and Inf Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10222 diff changeset	318 and Infinity\index{Infinity} may be returned, depending on the
ce57eb30968a Add notes to __builtin__.float() and string.atof() that the NaN and Inf Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10222 diff changeset	319 underlying C library. The specific set of strings accepted which
ce57eb30968a Add notes to __builtin__.float() and string.atof() that the NaN and Inf Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10222 diff changeset	320 cause these values to be returned depends entirely on the C library
ce57eb30968a Add notes to __builtin__.float() and string.atof() that the NaN and Inf Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10222 diff changeset	321 and is known to vary.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	322 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	323
11136 c2ac896926cc Update getattr() description to document the optional third Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10967 diff changeset	324 \begin{funcdesc}{getattr}{object, name\optional{, default}}
c2ac896926cc Update getattr() description to document the optional third Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10967 diff changeset	325 Return the value of the named attributed of \var{object}. \var{name}
c2ac896926cc Update getattr() description to document the optional third Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10967 diff changeset	326 must be a string. If the string is the name of one of the object's
c2ac896926cc Update getattr() description to document the optional third Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10967 diff changeset	327 attributes, the result is the value of that attribute. For example,
c2ac896926cc Update getattr() description to document the optional third Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10967 diff changeset	328 \code{getattr(x, 'foobar')} is equivalent to \code{x.foobar}. If the
c2ac896926cc Update getattr() description to document the optional third Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10967 diff changeset	329 named attribute does not exist, \var{default} is returned if provided,
c2ac896926cc Update getattr() description to document the optional third Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10967 diff changeset	330 otherwise \exception{AttributeError} is raised.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	331 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	332
2816 c4c39d171ec3 documented globals() and locals() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2609 diff changeset	333 \begin{funcdesc}{globals}{}
c4c39d171ec3 documented globals() and locals() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2609 diff changeset	334 Return a dictionary representing the current global symbol table.
c4c39d171ec3 documented globals() and locals() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2609 diff changeset	335 This is always the dictionary of the current module (inside a
c4c39d171ec3 documented globals() and locals() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2609 diff changeset	336 function or method, this is the module where it is defined, not the
c4c39d171ec3 documented globals() and locals() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2609 diff changeset	337 module from which it is called).
c4c39d171ec3 documented globals() and locals() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2609 diff changeset	338 \end{funcdesc}
c4c39d171ec3 documented globals() and locals() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2609 diff changeset	339
7712 0cbc9df882b6 Change "\," to just "," in function signatures. This is easier to maintain, Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7526 diff changeset	340 \begin{funcdesc}{hasattr}{object, name}
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	341 The arguments are an object and a string. The result is 1 if the
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	342 string is the name of one of the object's attributes, 0 if not.
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	343 (This is implemented by calling \code{getattr(\var{object},
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	344 \var{name})} and seeing whether it raises an exception or not.)
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	345 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	346
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	347 \begin{funcdesc}{hash}{object}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	348 Return the hash value of the object (if it has one). Hash values
7007 6f2ab4afa8f9 Correct small nits reported by Rob Hooft. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 6874 diff changeset	349 are integers. They are used to quickly compare dictionary
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	350 keys during a dictionary lookup. Numeric values that compare equal
18411 eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	351 have the same hash value (even if they are of different types, as is
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	352 the case for 1 and 1.0).
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	353 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	354
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	355 \begin{funcdesc}{hex}{x}
2576 f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	356 Convert an integer number (of any size) to a hexadecimal string.
4961 5e63322f4c06 Describe new ("unsigned") behavior of hex() and oct(). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 4728 diff changeset	357 The result is a valid Python expression. Note: this always yields
18411 eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	358 an unsigned literal. For example, on a 32-bit machine,
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	359 \code{hex(-1)} yields \code{'0xffffffff'}. When evaluated on a
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	360 machine with the same word size, this literal is evaluated as -1; at
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	361 a different word size, it may turn up as a large positive number or
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	362 raise an \exception{OverflowError} exception.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	363 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	364
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	365 \begin{funcdesc}{id}{object}
13114 90eb58224e43 Make it clear that id() can return either a long integer or a plain integer. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 12273 diff changeset	366 Return the `identity' of an object. This is an integer (or long
90eb58224e43 Make it clear that id() can return either a long integer or a plain integer. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 12273 diff changeset	367 integer) which is guaranteed to be unique and constant for this
90eb58224e43 Make it clear that id() can return either a long integer or a plain integer. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 12273 diff changeset	368 object during its lifetime. Two objects whose lifetimes are
90eb58224e43 Make it clear that id() can return either a long integer or a plain integer. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 12273 diff changeset	369 disjunct may have the same \function{id()} value. (Implementation
90eb58224e43 Make it clear that id() can return either a long integer or a plain integer. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 12273 diff changeset	370 note: this is the address of the object.)
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	371 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	372
1767 907605320a5f Lots of small corrections by Andrew Kuchling (plus all new rotor docs) Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1605 diff changeset	373 \begin{funcdesc}{input}{\optional{prompt}}
8516 81e29477d2a4 Change the description of input() -- it is exactly equivalent to Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 8072 diff changeset	374 Equivalent to \code{eval(raw_input(\var{prompt}))}.
14487 8a715d2dfeb9 Various clarifications and minor nits fixed. Affected descriptions of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14034 diff changeset	375 \strong{Warning:} This function is not safe from user errors! It
8a715d2dfeb9 Various clarifications and minor nits fixed. Affected descriptions of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14034 diff changeset	376 expects a valid Python expression as input; if the input is not
8a715d2dfeb9 Various clarifications and minor nits fixed. Affected descriptions of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14034 diff changeset	377 syntactically valid, a \exception{SyntaxError} will be raised.
8a715d2dfeb9 Various clarifications and minor nits fixed. Affected descriptions of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14034 diff changeset	378 Other exceptions may be raised if there is an error during
8a715d2dfeb9 Various clarifications and minor nits fixed. Affected descriptions of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14034 diff changeset	379 evaluation. (On the other hand, sometimes this is exactly what you
8a715d2dfeb9 Various clarifications and minor nits fixed. Affected descriptions of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14034 diff changeset	380 need when writing a quick script for expert use.)
8a715d2dfeb9 Various clarifications and minor nits fixed. Affected descriptions of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14034 diff changeset	381
8a715d2dfeb9 Various clarifications and minor nits fixed. Affected descriptions of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14034 diff changeset	382 If the \module{readline} module was loaded, then
8a715d2dfeb9 Various clarifications and minor nits fixed. Affected descriptions of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14034 diff changeset	383 \function{input()} will use it to provide elaborate line editing and
8a715d2dfeb9 Various clarifications and minor nits fixed. Affected descriptions of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14034 diff changeset	384 history features.
8a715d2dfeb9 Various clarifications and minor nits fixed. Affected descriptions of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14034 diff changeset	385
8a715d2dfeb9 Various clarifications and minor nits fixed. Affected descriptions of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14034 diff changeset	386 Consider using the \function{raw_input()} function for general input
8a715d2dfeb9 Various clarifications and minor nits fixed. Affected descriptions of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14034 diff changeset	387 from users.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	388 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	389
11805 bd161a908b3b Update the description of int() to include the radix parameter; Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11180 diff changeset	390 \begin{funcdesc}{int}{x\optional{, radix}}
bd161a908b3b Update the description of int() to include the radix parameter; Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11180 diff changeset	391 Convert a string or number to a plain integer. If the argument is a
bd161a908b3b Update the description of int() to include the radix parameter; Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11180 diff changeset	392 string, it must contain a possibly signed decimal number
bd161a908b3b Update the description of int() to include the radix parameter; Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11180 diff changeset	393 representable as a Python integer, possibly embedded in whitespace;
bd161a908b3b Update the description of int() to include the radix parameter; Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11180 diff changeset	394 this behaves identical to \code{string.atoi(\var{x}\optional{,
bd161a908b3b Update the description of int() to include the radix parameter; Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11180 diff changeset	395 \var{radix}})}. The \var{radix} parameter gives the base for the
15417 6b2524e9c672 Added information about the %r string formatting conversion. Added note Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14520 diff changeset	396 conversion and may be any integer in the range [2, 36], or zero. If
6b2524e9c672 Added information about the %r string formatting conversion. Added note Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14520 diff changeset	397 \var{radix} is zero, the proper radix is guessed based on the
6b2524e9c672 Added information about the %r string formatting conversion. Added note Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14520 diff changeset	398 contents of string; the interpretation is the same as for integer
6b2524e9c672 Added information about the %r string formatting conversion. Added note Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14520 diff changeset	399 literals. If \var{radix} is specified and \var{x} is not a string,
11805 bd161a908b3b Update the description of int() to include the radix parameter; Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11180 diff changeset	400 \exception{TypeError} is raised.
bd161a908b3b Update the description of int() to include the radix parameter; Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11180 diff changeset	401 Otherwise, the argument may be a plain or
bd161a908b3b Update the description of int() to include the radix parameter; Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11180 diff changeset	402 long integer or a floating point number. Conversion of floating
18838 a8575f358b9f SF bug #444510: int() should guarantee truncation. Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 18501 diff changeset	403 point numbers to integers truncates (towards zero).
11805 bd161a908b3b Update the description of int() to include the radix parameter; Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11180 diff changeset	404 \end{funcdesc}
bd161a908b3b Update the description of int() to include the radix parameter; Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11180 diff changeset	405
5163 9063f60ea28d Added intern() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 4961 diff changeset	406 \begin{funcdesc}{intern}{string}
9063f60ea28d Added intern() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 4961 diff changeset	407 Enter \var{string} in the table of ``interned'' strings and return
9063f60ea28d Added intern() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 4961 diff changeset	408 the interned string -- which is \var{string} itself or a copy.
9063f60ea28d Added intern() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 4961 diff changeset	409 Interning strings is useful to gain a little performance on
9063f60ea28d Added intern() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 4961 diff changeset	410 dictionary lookup -- if the keys in a dictionary are interned, and
9063f60ea28d Added intern() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 4961 diff changeset	411 the lookup key is interned, the key comparisons (after hashing) can
9063f60ea28d Added intern() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 4961 diff changeset	412 be done by a pointer compare instead of a string compare. Normally,
9063f60ea28d Added intern() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 4961 diff changeset	413 the names used in Python programs are automatically interned, and
9063f60ea28d Added intern() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 4961 diff changeset	414 the dictionaries used to hold module, class or instance attributes
18411 eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	415 have interned keys. Interned strings are immortal (never get
5163 9063f60ea28d Added intern() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 4961 diff changeset	416 garbage collected).
9063f60ea28d Added intern() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 4961 diff changeset	417 \end{funcdesc}
9063f60ea28d Added intern() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 4961 diff changeset	418
6385 14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	419 \begin{funcdesc}{isinstance}{object, class}
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	420 Return true if the \var{object} argument is an instance of the
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	421 \var{class} argument, or of a (direct or indirect) subclass thereof.
6707 39d96d9d3ccb Document new behavior of isinstance() when using a type object. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 6385 diff changeset	422 Also return true if \var{class} is a type object and \var{object} is
39d96d9d3ccb Document new behavior of isinstance() when using a type object. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 6385 diff changeset	423 an object of that type. If \var{object} is not a class instance or a
39d96d9d3ccb Document new behavior of isinstance() when using a type object. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 6385 diff changeset	424 object of the given type, the function always returns false. If
39d96d9d3ccb Document new behavior of isinstance() when using a type object. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 6385 diff changeset	425 \var{class} is neither a class object nor a type object, a
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	426 \exception{TypeError} exception is raised.
6385 14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	427 \end{funcdesc}
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	428
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	429 \begin{funcdesc}{issubclass}{class1, class2}
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	430 Return true if \var{class1} is a subclass (direct or indirect) of
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	431 \var{class2}. A class is considered a subclass of itself. If either
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	432 argument is not a class object, a \exception{TypeError} exception is
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	433 raised.
6385 14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	434 \end{funcdesc}
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	435
19781 7b722b6cc77b Document the built-in iter() function. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 19666 diff changeset	436 \begin{funcdesc}{iter}{o\optional{, sentinel}}
7b722b6cc77b Document the built-in iter() function. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 19666 diff changeset	437 Return an iterator object. The first argument is interpreted very
7b722b6cc77b Document the built-in iter() function. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 19666 diff changeset	438 differently depending on the presence of the second argument.
7b722b6cc77b Document the built-in iter() function. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 19666 diff changeset	439 Without a second argument, \var{o} must be a collection object which
7b722b6cc77b Document the built-in iter() function. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 19666 diff changeset	440 supports the iteration protocol (the \method{__iter__()} method), or
7b722b6cc77b Document the built-in iter() function. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 19666 diff changeset	441 it must support the sequence protocol (the \method{__getitem__()}
7b722b6cc77b Document the built-in iter() function. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 19666 diff changeset	442 method with integer arguments starting at \code{0}). If it does not
7b722b6cc77b Document the built-in iter() function. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 19666 diff changeset	443 support either of those protocols, \exception{TypeError} is raised.
7b722b6cc77b Document the built-in iter() function. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 19666 diff changeset	444 If the second argument, \var{sentinel}, is given, then \var{o} must
7b722b6cc77b Document the built-in iter() function. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 19666 diff changeset	445 be a callable object. The iterator created in this case will call
7b722b6cc77b Document the built-in iter() function. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 19666 diff changeset	446 \var{o} with no arguments for each call to its \method{next()}
7b722b6cc77b Document the built-in iter() function. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 19666 diff changeset	447 method; if the value returned is equal to \var{sentinel},
7b722b6cc77b Document the built-in iter() function. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 19666 diff changeset	448 \exception{StopIteration} will be raised, otherwise the value will
7b722b6cc77b Document the built-in iter() function. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 19666 diff changeset	449 be returned.
7b722b6cc77b Document the built-in iter() function. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 19666 diff changeset	450 \versionadded{2.2}
7b722b6cc77b Document the built-in iter() function. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 19666 diff changeset	451 \end{funcdesc}
7b722b6cc77b Document the built-in iter() function. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 19666 diff changeset	452
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	453 \begin{funcdesc}{len}{s}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	454 Return the length (the number of items) of an object. The argument
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	455 may be a sequence (string, tuple or list) or a mapping (dictionary).
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	456 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	457
5675 fd6acad7cc7a Mention abs(complex) -> magnitude (AMK). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5246 diff changeset	458 \begin{funcdesc}{list}{sequence}
17659 deb8a5e151a3 Update the filter() and list() descriptions to include information about Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 16048 diff changeset	459 Return a list whose items are the same and in the same order as
deb8a5e151a3 Update the filter() and list() descriptions to include information about Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 16048 diff changeset	460 \var{sequence}'s items. \var{sequence} may be either a sequence, a
deb8a5e151a3 Update the filter() and list() descriptions to include information about Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 16048 diff changeset	461 container that supports iteration, or an iterator object. If
deb8a5e151a3 Update the filter() and list() descriptions to include information about Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 16048 diff changeset	462 \var{sequence} is already a list, a copy is made and returned,
deb8a5e151a3 Update the filter() and list() descriptions to include information about Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 16048 diff changeset	463 similar to \code{\var{sequence}[:]}. For instance,
deb8a5e151a3 Update the filter() and list() descriptions to include information about Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 16048 diff changeset	464 \code{list('abc')} returns \code{['a', 'b', 'c']} and \code{list(
deb8a5e151a3 Update the filter() and list() descriptions to include information about Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 16048 diff changeset	465 (1, 2, 3) )} returns \code{[1, 2, 3]}.
5675 fd6acad7cc7a Mention abs(complex) -> magnitude (AMK). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5246 diff changeset	466 \end{funcdesc}
fd6acad7cc7a Mention abs(complex) -> magnitude (AMK). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5246 diff changeset	467
2816 c4c39d171ec3 documented globals() and locals() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2609 diff changeset	468 \begin{funcdesc}{locals}{}
c4c39d171ec3 documented globals() and locals() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2609 diff changeset	469 Return a dictionary representing the current local symbol table.
14487 8a715d2dfeb9 Various clarifications and minor nits fixed. Affected descriptions of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14034 diff changeset	470 \strong{Warning:} The contents of this dictionary should not be
19666 cf65ebf87560 New restriction on pow(x, y, z): If z is not None, x and y must be of Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19503 diff changeset	471 modified; changes may not affect the values of local variables used by
8521 064f85ee9be5 Added a stronger warning about changing the dictionary returned by Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 8516 diff changeset	472 the interpreter.
2816 c4c39d171ec3 documented globals() and locals() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2609 diff changeset	473 \end{funcdesc}
c4c39d171ec3 documented globals() and locals() Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2609 diff changeset	474
15417 6b2524e9c672 Added information about the %r string formatting conversion. Added note Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14520 diff changeset	475 \begin{funcdesc}{long}{x\optional{, radix}}
5246 23330a1b9594 Add complex(). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5163 diff changeset	476 Convert a string or number to a long integer. If the argument is a
15728 4dd0b97aa6e1 Description of long(): A string parameter is no longer required to be Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 15417 diff changeset	477 string, it must contain a possibly signed number of
5246 23330a1b9594 Add complex(). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5163 diff changeset	478 arbitrary size, possibly embedded in whitespace;
15417 6b2524e9c672 Added information about the %r string formatting conversion. Added note Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14520 diff changeset	479 this behaves identical to \code{string.atol(\var{x})}. The
6b2524e9c672 Added information about the %r string formatting conversion. Added note Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14520 diff changeset	480 \var{radix} argument is interpreted in the same way as for
6b2524e9c672 Added information about the %r string formatting conversion. Added note Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14520 diff changeset	481 \function{int()}, and may only be given when \var{x} is a string.
5246 23330a1b9594 Add complex(). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5163 diff changeset	482 Otherwise, the argument may be a plain or
7007 6f2ab4afa8f9 Correct small nits reported by Rob Hooft. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 6874 diff changeset	483 long integer or a floating point number, and a long integer with
5246 23330a1b9594 Add complex(). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5163 diff changeset	484 the same value is returned. Conversion of floating
23330a1b9594 Add complex(). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5163 diff changeset	485 point numbers to integers is defined by the C semantics;
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	486 see the description of \function{int()}.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	487 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	488
7712 0cbc9df882b6 Change "\," to just "," in function signatures. This is easier to maintain, Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7526 diff changeset	489 \begin{funcdesc}{map}{function, list, ...}
18411 eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	490 Apply \var{function} to every item of \var{list} and return a list
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	491 of the results. If additional \var{list} arguments are passed,
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	492 \var{function} must take that many arguments and is applied to the
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	493 items of all lists in parallel; if a list is shorter than another it
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	494 is assumed to be extended with \code{None} items. If \var{function}
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	495 is \code{None}, the identity function is assumed; if there are
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	496 multiple list arguments, \function{map()} returns a list consisting
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	497 of tuples containing the corresponding items from all lists (a kind
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	498 of transpose operation). The \var{list} arguments may be any kind
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	499 of sequence; the result is always a list.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	500 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	501
9529 d7d39260fe82 Clarify that min and max also take multiple arguments. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9478 diff changeset	502 \begin{funcdesc}{max}{s\optional{, args...}}
18411 eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	503 With a single argument \var{s}, return the largest item of a
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	504 non-empty sequence (such as a string, tuple or list). With more
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	505 than one argument, return the largest of the arguments.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	506 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	507
9529 d7d39260fe82 Clarify that min and max also take multiple arguments. Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9478 diff changeset	508 \begin{funcdesc}{min}{s\optional{, args...}}
18411 eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	509 With a single argument \var{s}, return the smallest item of a
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	510 non-empty sequence (such as a string, tuple or list). With more
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	511 than one argument, return the smallest of the arguments.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	512 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	513
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	514 \begin{funcdesc}{oct}{x}
2576 f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	515 Convert an integer number (of any size) to an octal string. The
18411 eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	516 result is a valid Python expression. Note: this always yields an
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	517 unsigned literal. For example, on a 32-bit machine, \code{oct(-1)}
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	518 yields \code{'037777777777'}. When evaluated on a machine with the
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	519 same word size, this literal is evaluated as -1; at a different word
4961 5e63322f4c06 Describe new ("unsigned") behavior of hex() and oct(). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 4728 diff changeset	520 size, it may turn up as a large positive number or raise an
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	521 \exception{OverflowError} exception.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	522 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	523
7712 0cbc9df882b6 Change "\," to just "," in function signatures. This is easier to maintain, Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7526 diff changeset	524 \begin{funcdesc}{open}{filename\optional{, mode\optional{, bufsize}}}
20010 d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	525 An alias for the \function{file()} function above.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	526 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	527
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	528 \begin{funcdesc}{ord}{c}
12264 64fcae78d47a Marc-Andre Lemburg <mal@lemburg.com>: Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11805 diff changeset	529 Return the \ASCII{} value of a string of one character or a Unicode
64fcae78d47a Marc-Andre Lemburg <mal@lemburg.com>: Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11805 diff changeset	530 character. E.g., \code{ord('a')} returns the integer \code{97},
64fcae78d47a Marc-Andre Lemburg <mal@lemburg.com>: Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11805 diff changeset	531 \code{ord(u'\\u2020')} returns \code{8224}. This is the inverse of
64fcae78d47a Marc-Andre Lemburg <mal@lemburg.com>: Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11805 diff changeset	532 \function{chr()} for strings and of \function{unichr()} for Unicode
64fcae78d47a Marc-Andre Lemburg <mal@lemburg.com>: Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11805 diff changeset	533 characters.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	534 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	535
7712 0cbc9df882b6 Change "\," to just "," in function signatures. This is easier to maintain, Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7526 diff changeset	536 \begin{funcdesc}{pow}{x, y\optional{, z}}
1776 5257af80e161 * Doc/libfuncs.tex: don't use $math$ in description of pow(x,y,z); Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1767 diff changeset	537 Return \var{x} to the power \var{y}; if \var{z} is present, return
5257af80e161 * Doc/libfuncs.tex: don't use $math$ in description of pow(x,y,z); Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1767 diff changeset	538 \var{x} to the power \var{y}, modulo \var{z} (computed more
18501 46dd873d26f6 On int/long to the negative int/long power, let float handle it Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 18411 diff changeset	539 efficiently than \code{pow(\var{x}, \var{y}) \%\ \var{z}}). The
46dd873d26f6 On int/long to the negative int/long power, let float handle it Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 18411 diff changeset	540 arguments must have numeric types. With mixed operand types, the
46dd873d26f6 On int/long to the negative int/long power, let float handle it Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 18411 diff changeset	541 coercion rules for binary arithmetic operators apply. For int and
46dd873d26f6 On int/long to the negative int/long power, let float handle it Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 18411 diff changeset	542 long int operands, the result has the same type as the operands
46dd873d26f6 On int/long to the negative int/long power, let float handle it Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 18411 diff changeset	543 (after coercion) unless the second argument is negative; in that
46dd873d26f6 On int/long to the negative int/long power, let float handle it Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 18411 diff changeset	544 case, all arguments are converted to float and a float result is
46dd873d26f6 On int/long to the negative int/long power, let float handle it Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 18411 diff changeset	545 delivered. For example, \code{10**2} returns \code{100}, but
46dd873d26f6 On int/long to the negative int/long power, let float handle it Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 18411 diff changeset	546 \code{10**-2} returns \code{0.01}. (This last feature was added in
19666 cf65ebf87560 New restriction on pow(x, y, z): If z is not None, x and y must be of Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19503 diff changeset	547 Python 2.2. In Python 2.1 and before, if both arguments were of integer
cf65ebf87560 New restriction on pow(x, y, z): If z is not None, x and y must be of Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19503 diff changeset	548 types and the second argument was negative, an exception was raised.)
20010 d03c19db3094 Document new file() constructor, with the body of open()'s text, plus a Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19781 diff changeset	549 If the second argument is negative, the third argument must be omitted.
19666 cf65ebf87560 New restriction on pow(x, y, z): If z is not None, x and y must be of Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19503 diff changeset	550 If \var{z} is present, \var{x} and \var{y} must be of integer types,
cf65ebf87560 New restriction on pow(x, y, z): If z is not None, x and y must be of Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19503 diff changeset	551 and \var{y} must be non-negative. (This restriction was added in
cf65ebf87560 New restriction on pow(x, y, z): If z is not None, x and y must be of Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19503 diff changeset	552 Python 2.2. In Python 2.1 and before, floating 3-argument \code{pow()}
cf65ebf87560 New restriction on pow(x, y, z): If z is not None, x and y must be of Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19503 diff changeset	553 returned platform-dependent results depending on floating-point
cf65ebf87560 New restriction on pow(x, y, z): If z is not None, x and y must be of Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19503 diff changeset	554 rounding accidents.)
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	555 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	556
7712 0cbc9df882b6 Change "\," to just "," in function signatures. This is easier to maintain, Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7526 diff changeset	557 \begin{funcdesc}{range}{\optional{start,} stop\optional{, step}}
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	558 This is a versatile function to create lists containing arithmetic
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	559 progressions. It is most often used in \keyword{for} loops. The
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	560 arguments must be plain integers. If the \var{step} argument is
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	561 omitted, it defaults to \code{1}. If the \var{start} argument is
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	562 omitted, it defaults to \code{0}. The full form returns a list of
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	563 plain integers \code{[\var{start}, \var{start} + \var{step},
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	564 \var{start} + 2 * \var{step}, \ldots]}. If \var{step} is positive,
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	565 the last element is the largest \code{\var{start} + \var{i} *
6385 14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	566 \var{step}} less than \var{stop}; if \var{step} is negative, the last
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	567 element is the largest \code{\var{start} + \var{i} * \var{step}}
7832 d14b7120c551 Small nits. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7791 diff changeset	568 greater than \var{stop}. \var{step} must not be zero (or else
d14b7120c551 Small nits. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7791 diff changeset	569 \exception{ValueError} is raised). Example:
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	570
7277 bf4e790bd61a Remove all \bcode / \ecode cruft; this is no longer needed. See previous Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7096 diff changeset	571 \begin{verbatim}
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	572 >>> range(10)
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	573 [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	574 >>> range(1, 11)
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	575 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	576 >>> range(0, 30, 5)
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	577 [0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25]
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	578 >>> range(0, 10, 3)
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	579 [0, 3, 6, 9]
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	580 >>> range(0, -10, -1)
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	581 [0, -1, -2, -3, -4, -5, -6, -7, -8, -9]
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	582 >>> range(0)
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	583 []
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	584 >>> range(1, 0)
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	585 []
7277 bf4e790bd61a Remove all \bcode / \ecode cruft; this is no longer needed. See previous Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7096 diff changeset	586 \end{verbatim}
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	587 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	588
1767 907605320a5f Lots of small corrections by Andrew Kuchling (plus all new rotor docs) Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1605 diff changeset	589 \begin{funcdesc}{raw_input}{\optional{prompt}}
907605320a5f Lots of small corrections by Andrew Kuchling (plus all new rotor docs) Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1605 diff changeset	590 If the \var{prompt} argument is present, it is written to standard output
907605320a5f Lots of small corrections by Andrew Kuchling (plus all new rotor docs) Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1605 diff changeset	591 without a trailing newline. The function then reads a line from input,
907605320a5f Lots of small corrections by Andrew Kuchling (plus all new rotor docs) Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1605 diff changeset	592 converts it to a string (stripping a trailing newline), and returns that.
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	593 When \EOF{} is read, \exception{EOFError} is raised. Example:
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	594
7277 bf4e790bd61a Remove all \bcode / \ecode cruft; this is no longer needed. See previous Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7096 diff changeset	595 \begin{verbatim}
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	596 >>> s = raw_input('--> ')
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	597 --> Monty Python's Flying Circus
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	598 >>> s
2576 f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	599 "Monty Python's Flying Circus"
7277 bf4e790bd61a Remove all \bcode / \ecode cruft; this is no longer needed. See previous Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7096 diff changeset	600 \end{verbatim}
5675 fd6acad7cc7a Mention abs(complex) -> magnitude (AMK). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5246 diff changeset	601
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	602 If the \module{readline} module was loaded, then
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	603 \function{raw_input()} will use it to provide elaborate
5675 fd6acad7cc7a Mention abs(complex) -> magnitude (AMK). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5246 diff changeset	604 line editing and history features.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	605 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	606
9798 9cfc53e5996e Replace the docs for reduce with an adaptation of its docstring, which Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9602 diff changeset	607 \begin{funcdesc}{reduce}{function, sequence\optional{, initializer}}
9cfc53e5996e Replace the docs for reduce with an adaptation of its docstring, which Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9602 diff changeset	608 Apply \var{function} of two arguments cumulatively to the items of
9cfc53e5996e Replace the docs for reduce with an adaptation of its docstring, which Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9602 diff changeset	609 \var{sequence}, from left to right, so as to reduce the sequence to
9cfc53e5996e Replace the docs for reduce with an adaptation of its docstring, which Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9602 diff changeset	610 a single value. For example,
9cfc53e5996e Replace the docs for reduce with an adaptation of its docstring, which Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9602 diff changeset	611 \code{reduce(lambda x, y: x+y, [1, 2, 3, 4, 5])} calculates
9cfc53e5996e Replace the docs for reduce with an adaptation of its docstring, which Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9602 diff changeset	612 \code{((((1+2)+3)+4)+5)}.
9cfc53e5996e Replace the docs for reduce with an adaptation of its docstring, which Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9602 diff changeset	613 If the optional \var{initializer} is present, it is placed before the
9cfc53e5996e Replace the docs for reduce with an adaptation of its docstring, which Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9602 diff changeset	614 items of the sequence in the calculation, and serves as a default when
9cfc53e5996e Replace the docs for reduce with an adaptation of its docstring, which Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 9602 diff changeset	615 the sequence is empty.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	616 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	617
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	618 \begin{funcdesc}{reload}{module}
2576 f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	619 Re-parse and re-initialize an already imported \var{module}. The
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	620 argument must be a module object, so it must have been successfully
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	621 imported before. This is useful if you have edited the module source
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	622 file using an external editor and want to try out the new version
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	623 without leaving the Python interpreter. The return value is the
18411 eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	624 module object (the same as the \var{module} argument).
2576 f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	625
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	626 There are a number of caveats:
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	627
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	628 If a module is syntactically correct but its initialization fails, the
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	629 first \keyword{import} statement for it does not bind its name locally,
2576 f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	630 but does store a (partially initialized) module object in
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	631 \code{sys.modules}. To reload the module you must first
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	632 \keyword{import} it again (this will bind the name to the partially
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	633 initialized module object) before you can \function{reload()} it.
2576 f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	634
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	635 When a module is reloaded, its dictionary (containing the module's
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	636 global variables) is retained. Redefinitions of names will override
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	637 the old definitions, so this is generally not a problem. If the new
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	638 version of a module does not define a name that was defined by the old
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	639 version, the old definition remains. This feature can be used to the
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	640 module's advantage if it maintains a global table or cache of objects
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	641 --- with a \keyword{try} statement it can test for the table's presence
2576 f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	642 and skip its initialization if desired.
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	643
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	644 It is legal though generally not very useful to reload built-in or
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	645 dynamically loaded modules, except for \module{sys}, \module{__main__}
14487 8a715d2dfeb9 Various clarifications and minor nits fixed. Affected descriptions of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14034 diff changeset	646 and \module{__builtin__}. In many cases, however, extension
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	647 modules are not designed to be initialized more than once, and may
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	648 fail in arbitrary ways when reloaded.
2576 f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	649
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	650 If a module imports objects from another module using \keyword{from}
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	651 \ldots{} \keyword{import} \ldots{}, calling \function{reload()} for
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	652 the other module does not redefine the objects imported from it ---
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	653 one way around this is to re-execute the \keyword{from} statement,
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	654 another is to use \keyword{import} and qualified names
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	655 (\var{module}.\var{name}) instead.
2576 f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	656
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	657 If a module instantiates instances of a class, reloading the module
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	658 that defines the class does not affect the method definitions of the
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	659 instances --- they continue to use the old class definition. The same
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	660 is true for derived classes.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	661 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	662
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	663 \begin{funcdesc}{repr}{object}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	664 Return a string containing a printable representation of an object.
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	665 This is the same value yielded by conversions (reverse quotes).
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	666 It is sometimes useful to be able to access this operation as an
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	667 ordinary function. For many types, this function makes an attempt
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	668 to return a string that would yield an object with the same value
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	669 when passed to \function{eval()}.
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	670 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	671
9036 18697f59fd48 round(): Mark the second (optional) parameter as optional, since it's Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 8918 diff changeset	672 \begin{funcdesc}{round}{x\optional{, n}}
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	673 Return the floating point value \var{x} rounded to \var{n} digits
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	674 after the decimal point. If \var{n} is omitted, it defaults to zero.
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	675 The result is a floating point number. Values are rounded to the
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	676 closest multiple of 10 to the power minus \var{n}; if two multiples
18411 eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	677 are equally close, rounding is done away from 0 (so. for example,
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	678 \code{round(0.5)} is \code{1.0} and \code{round(-0.5)} is \code{-1.0}).
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	679 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	680
7712 0cbc9df882b6 Change "\," to just "," in function signatures. This is easier to maintain, Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7526 diff changeset	681 \begin{funcdesc}{setattr}{object, name, value}
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	682 This is the counterpart of \function{getattr()}. The arguments are an
9036 18697f59fd48 round(): Mark the second (optional) parameter as optional, since it's Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 8918 diff changeset	683 object, a string and an arbitrary value. The string may name an
18697f59fd48 round(): Mark the second (optional) parameter as optional, since it's Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 8918 diff changeset	684 existing attribute or a new attribute. The function assigns the
18697f59fd48 round(): Mark the second (optional) parameter as optional, since it's Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 8918 diff changeset	685 value to the attribute, provided the object allows it. For example,
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	686 \code{setattr(\var{x}, '\var{foobar}', 123)} is equivalent to
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	687 \code{\var{x}.\var{foobar} = 123}.
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	688 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	689
7712 0cbc9df882b6 Change "\," to just "," in function signatures. This is easier to maintain, Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7526 diff changeset	690 \begin{funcdesc}{slice}{\optional{start,} stop\optional{, step}}
6385 14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	691 Return a slice object representing the set of indices specified by
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	692 \code{range(\var{start}, \var{stop}, \var{step})}. The \var{start}
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	693 and \var{step} arguments default to None. Slice objects have
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	694 read-only data attributes \member{start}, \member{stop} and \member{step}
6385 14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	695 which merely return the argument values (or their default). They have
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	696 no other explicit functionality; however they are used by Numerical
7832 d14b7120c551 Small nits. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7791 diff changeset	697 Python\index{Numerical Python} and other third party extensions.
d14b7120c551 Small nits. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7791 diff changeset	698 Slice objects are also generated when extended indexing syntax is
18411 eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	699 used. For example: \samp{a[start:stop:step]} or \samp{a[start:stop, i]}.
6385 14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	700 \end{funcdesc}
14d58b5a21c4 Documented __import__, callable, isinstance, issubclass, Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5818 diff changeset	701
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	702 \begin{funcdesc}{str}{object}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	703 Return a string containing a nicely printable representation of an
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	704 object. For strings, this returns the string itself. The difference
2491 fb8e08ec88dd changes (suggested) by Soren Larsen Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2453 diff changeset	705 with \code{repr(\var{object})} is that \code{str(\var{object})} does not
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	706 always attempt to return a string that is acceptable to \function{eval()};
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	707 its goal is to return a printable string.
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	708 \end{funcdesc}
2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	709
2576 f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	710 \begin{funcdesc}{tuple}{sequence}
1776 5257af80e161 * Doc/libfuncs.tex: don't use $math$ in description of pow(x,y,z); Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1767 diff changeset	711 Return a tuple whose items are the same and in the same order as
5675 fd6acad7cc7a Mention abs(complex) -> magnitude (AMK). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 5246 diff changeset	712 \var{sequence}'s items. If \var{sequence} is already a tuple, it
1776 5257af80e161 * Doc/libfuncs.tex: don't use $math$ in description of pow(x,y,z); Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1767 diff changeset	713 is returned unchanged. For instance, \code{tuple('abc')} returns
5257af80e161 * Doc/libfuncs.tex: don't use $math$ in description of pow(x,y,z); Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1767 diff changeset	714 returns \code{('a', 'b', 'c')} and \code{tuple([1, 2, 3])} returns
5257af80e161 * Doc/libfuncs.tex: don't use $math$ in description of pow(x,y,z); Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1767 diff changeset	715 \code{(1, 2, 3)}.
5257af80e161 * Doc/libfuncs.tex: don't use $math$ in description of pow(x,y,z); Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1767 diff changeset	716 \end{funcdesc}
5257af80e161 * Doc/libfuncs.tex: don't use $math$ in description of pow(x,y,z); Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1767 diff changeset	717
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	718 \begin{funcdesc}{type}{object}
2576 f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	719 Return the type of an \var{object}. The return value is a type
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	720 object. The standard module \module{types} defines names for all
2576 f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	721 built-in types.
6870 1902938e42c6 Fixed index references to modules. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 6707 diff changeset	722 \refstmodindex{types}
2576 f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	723 \obindex{type}
f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	724 For instance:
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	725
7277 bf4e790bd61a Remove all \bcode / \ecode cruft; this is no longer needed. See previous Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7096 diff changeset	726 \begin{verbatim}
2576 f47bc5554418 mass changes; fix titles; add examples; correct typos; clarifications; Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2527 diff changeset	727 >>> import types
8534 5f5b492d1804 Revert the change of revision 1.30. While it's in general a laudable Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 8530 diff changeset	728 >>> if type(x) == types.StringType: print "It's a string"
7277 bf4e790bd61a Remove all \bcode / \ecode cruft; this is no longer needed. See previous Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7096 diff changeset	729 \end{verbatim}
1471 2ec96140a36b Restructured library documentation Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: diff changeset	730 \end{funcdesc}
1560 274b93b12113 Documented xrange; crossreffed lambda a bit more Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1471 diff changeset	731
12264 64fcae78d47a Marc-Andre Lemburg <mal@lemburg.com>: Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11805 diff changeset	732 \begin{funcdesc}{unichr}{i}
64fcae78d47a Marc-Andre Lemburg <mal@lemburg.com>: Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11805 diff changeset	733 Return the Unicode string of one character whose Unicode code is the
18411 eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	734 integer \var{i}. For example, \code{unichr(97)} returns the string
12264 64fcae78d47a Marc-Andre Lemburg <mal@lemburg.com>: Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11805 diff changeset	735 \code{u'a'}. This is the inverse of \function{ord()} for Unicode
64fcae78d47a Marc-Andre Lemburg <mal@lemburg.com>: Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11805 diff changeset	736 strings. The argument must be in the range [0..65535], inclusive.
64fcae78d47a Marc-Andre Lemburg <mal@lemburg.com>: Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11805 diff changeset	737 \exception{ValueError} is raised otherwise.
13222 5dd381aeb23b Update version numbering from 1.6 to 2.0. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 13114 diff changeset	738 \versionadded{2.0}
12264 64fcae78d47a Marc-Andre Lemburg <mal@lemburg.com>: Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11805 diff changeset	739 \end{funcdesc}
64fcae78d47a Marc-Andre Lemburg <mal@lemburg.com>: Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11805 diff changeset	740
14487 8a715d2dfeb9 Various clarifications and minor nits fixed. Affected descriptions of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14034 diff changeset	741 \begin{funcdesc}{unicode}{string\optional{, encoding\optional{, errors}}}
17837 2892aa2607d5 Beef up the unicode() description a bit, based on material from AMK's Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17659 diff changeset	742 Create a Unicode string from an 8-bit string \var{string} using the
2892aa2607d5 Beef up the unicode() description a bit, based on material from AMK's Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17659 diff changeset	743 codec for \var{encoding}. The \var{encoding} parameter is a string
2892aa2607d5 Beef up the unicode() description a bit, based on material from AMK's Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17659 diff changeset	744 giving the name of an encoding. Error handling is done according to
2892aa2607d5 Beef up the unicode() description a bit, based on material from AMK's Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17659 diff changeset	745 \var{errors}; this specifies the treatment of characters which are
2892aa2607d5 Beef up the unicode() description a bit, based on material from AMK's Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17659 diff changeset	746 invalid in the input encoding. If \var{errors} is \code{'strict'}
2892aa2607d5 Beef up the unicode() description a bit, based on material from AMK's Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17659 diff changeset	747 (the default), a \exception{ValueError} is raised on errors, while a
2892aa2607d5 Beef up the unicode() description a bit, based on material from AMK's Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17659 diff changeset	748 value of \code{'ignore'} causes errors to be silently ignored, and a
2892aa2607d5 Beef up the unicode() description a bit, based on material from AMK's Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17659 diff changeset	749 value of \code{'replace'} causes the official Unicode replacement
2892aa2607d5 Beef up the unicode() description a bit, based on material from AMK's Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17659 diff changeset	750 character, \code{U+FFFD}, to be used to replace input characters which
2892aa2607d5 Beef up the unicode() description a bit, based on material from AMK's Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17659 diff changeset	751 cannot be decoded. The default behavior is to decode UTF-8 in strict
2892aa2607d5 Beef up the unicode() description a bit, based on material from AMK's Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17659 diff changeset	752 mode, meaning that encoding errors raise \exception{ValueError}. See
2892aa2607d5 Beef up the unicode() description a bit, based on material from AMK's Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17659 diff changeset	753 also the \refmodule{codecs} module.
13222 5dd381aeb23b Update version numbering from 1.6 to 2.0. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 13114 diff changeset	754 \versionadded{2.0}
12264 64fcae78d47a Marc-Andre Lemburg <mal@lemburg.com>: Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11805 diff changeset	755 \end{funcdesc}
64fcae78d47a Marc-Andre Lemburg <mal@lemburg.com>: Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 11805 diff changeset	756
2527 815dfaa6a778 small changes by Soren Larsen Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 2491 diff changeset	757 \begin{funcdesc}{vars}{\optional{object}}
1591 ac9e12b4ea8c Documented new built-in function vars(). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1560 diff changeset	758 Without arguments, return a dictionary corresponding to the current
ac9e12b4ea8c Documented new built-in function vars(). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1560 diff changeset	759 local symbol table. With a module, class or class instance object as
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	760 argument (or anything else that has a \member{__dict__} attribute),
1591 ac9e12b4ea8c Documented new built-in function vars(). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1560 diff changeset	761 returns a dictionary corresponding to the object's symbol table.
ac9e12b4ea8c Documented new built-in function vars(). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1560 diff changeset	762 The returned dictionary should not be modified: the effects on the
10514 96beaead874f open() description: Made it more clear that 'b' should always be Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10468 diff changeset	763 corresponding symbol table are undefined.\footnote{
96beaead874f open() description: Made it more clear that 'b' should always be Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 10468 diff changeset	764 In the current implementation, local variable bindings cannot
19666 cf65ebf87560 New restriction on pow(x, y, z): If z is not None, x and y must be of Tim Peters <tim.peters@gmail.com> parents: 19503 diff changeset	765 normally be affected this way, but variables retrieved from
18411 eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	766 other scopes (such as modules) can be. This may change.}
1591 ac9e12b4ea8c Documented new built-in function vars(). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1560 diff changeset	767 \end{funcdesc}
ac9e12b4ea8c Documented new built-in function vars(). Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1560 diff changeset	768
7712 0cbc9df882b6 Change "\," to just "," in function signatures. This is easier to maintain, Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7526 diff changeset	769 \begin{funcdesc}{xrange}{\optional{start,} stop\optional{, step}}
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	770 This function is very similar to \function{range()}, but returns an
1560 274b93b12113 Documented xrange; crossreffed lambda a bit more Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1471 diff changeset	771 ``xrange object'' instead of a list. This is an opaque sequence type
274b93b12113 Documented xrange; crossreffed lambda a bit more Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1471 diff changeset	772 which yields the same values as the corresponding list, without
274b93b12113 Documented xrange; crossreffed lambda a bit more Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1471 diff changeset	773 actually storing them all simultaneously. The advantage of
7526 60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	774 \function{xrange()} over \function{range()} is minimal (since
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	775 \function{xrange()} still has to create the values when asked for
60e7b000f273 Logical markup. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 7292 diff changeset	776 them) except when a very large range is used on a memory-starved
18411 eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	777 machine or when all of the range's elements are never used (such as
eeb2e77c5bad Fix up a few style nits -- avoid "e.g." and "i.e." -- these make Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 17837 diff changeset	778 when the loop is usually terminated with \keyword{break}).
1560 274b93b12113 Documented xrange; crossreffed lambda a bit more Guido van Rossum <guido@python.org> parents: 1471 diff changeset	779 \end{funcdesc}
13823 eeed7bc8a283 Both PEP 201 Lockstep Iteration and SF patch #101030 have been Barry Warsaw <barry@python.org> parents: 13222 diff changeset	780
13833 5136e37ff548 int() description: Fix markup to avoid image generation for math mode. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 13823 diff changeset	781 \begin{funcdesc}{zip}{seq1, \moreargs}
13823 eeed7bc8a283 Both PEP 201 Lockstep Iteration and SF patch #101030 have been Barry Warsaw <barry@python.org> parents: 13222 diff changeset	782 This function returns a list of tuples, where each tuple contains the
13833 5136e37ff548 int() description: Fix markup to avoid image generation for math mode. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 13823 diff changeset	783 \var{i}-th element from each of the argument sequences. At least one
13823 eeed7bc8a283 Both PEP 201 Lockstep Iteration and SF patch #101030 have been Barry Warsaw <barry@python.org> parents: 13222 diff changeset	784 sequence is required, otherwise a \exception{TypeError} is raised.
eeed7bc8a283 Both PEP 201 Lockstep Iteration and SF patch #101030 have been Barry Warsaw <barry@python.org> parents: 13222 diff changeset	785 The returned list is truncated in length to the length of the shortest
14487 8a715d2dfeb9 Various clarifications and minor nits fixed. Affected descriptions of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14034 diff changeset	786 argument sequence. When there are multiple argument sequences which
8a715d2dfeb9 Various clarifications and minor nits fixed. Affected descriptions of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14034 diff changeset	787 are all of the same length, \function{zip()} is similar to
8a715d2dfeb9 Various clarifications and minor nits fixed. Affected descriptions of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14034 diff changeset	788 \function{map()} with an initial argument of \code{None}. With a
8a715d2dfeb9 Various clarifications and minor nits fixed. Affected descriptions of Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 14034 diff changeset	789 single sequence argument, it returns a list of 1-tuples.
14034 91c659968a80 Small cleanups, and note when zip() entered the menagerie. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 13833 diff changeset	790 \versionadded{2.0}
13833 5136e37ff548 int() description: Fix markup to avoid image generation for math mode. Fred Drake <fdrake@acm.org> parents: 13823 diff changeset	791 \end{funcdesc}

Mercurial > cpython-lru_cache-weakref

annotate Doc/lib/libfuncs.tex @ 20010:d03c19db3094 legacy-trunk