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Clarify inspect.is<callable> method docs #49218

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Clarify inspect.is<callable> method docs#49218
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docsDocumentation in the Doc dir

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@terryjreedy
terryjreedy
opened on Jan 17, 2009
BPO 4968
Nosy @birkenfeld, @terryjreedy

Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.

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GitHub fields:

assignee = None
closed_at = <Date 2010-10-15.16:53:38.086>
created_at = <Date 2009-01-17.03:26:08.466>
labels = ['docs']
title = 'Clarify inspect.is<callable> method docs'
updated_at = <Date 2010-10-15.16:53:38.085>
user = 'https://github.com/terryjreedy'

bugs.python.org fields:

activity = <Date 2010-10-15.16:53:38.085>
actor = 'georg.brandl'
assignee = 'docs@python'
closed = True
closed_date = <Date 2010-10-15.16:53:38.086>
closer = 'georg.brandl'
components = ['Documentation']
creation = <Date 2009-01-17.03:26:08.466>
creator = 'terry.reedy'
dependencies = []
files = []
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 4968
keywords = []
message_count = 4.0
messages = ['79999', '109272', '109968', '118802']
nosy_count = 4.0
nosy_names = ['georg.brandl', 'terry.reedy', 'docs@python', 'BreamoreBoy']
pr_nums = []
priority = 'normal'
resolution = 'fixed'
stage = None
status = 'closed'
superseder = None
type = None
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue4968'
versions = ['Python 3.1', 'Python 3.2']

Activity

  1. terryjreedy commented on Jan 17, 2009

    @terryjreedy
    terryjreedy
    on Jan 17, 2009
    MemberAuthor

    inspect module in 3.0

    .isclass: says "Return true if the object is a class." Since the issue
    of builtin versus Python coded is involved in all the other methods
    below, I would expand this to
    "Return true if the object is a class, whether built-in or Python-coded."
    to emphasize that this is not an issue for this one.

    .isfunction: current "Return true if the object is a Python function or
    unnamed (lambda) function." falsely implies that there is such a thing
    as 'unnamed (lambda) function; different from 'Python function'. By
    test, it just returns True for 'function' objects. Suggestion:

    "Return true for Python-coded functions, including unbound Python-coded
    methods." or possibly
    "Return true for functions created by def statements and lambda
    expressions, including unbound Python-coded methods.

    .ismethod: "Return true if the object is a method." should be specified
    to something like
    "Return true if the object is a bound method written in Python."

    .isbuiltin: says "Return true if the object is a built-in function."
    but actually tests for membership in class 'builtin_function_or_method'.
    I believe that truth is
    "Return true if the object is a built-in function (but not a class) or a
    bound built-in non-special method."
    It is True, for instance, for [].append but not [].__hash__. I am
    assuming that this behavior is intended and not a bug.

    .ismethoddescriptor: "Return true if the object is a method descriptor,
    but not if ismethod() or isclass() or isfunction() are true." begs the
    question of what a method descriptor is. I believe the following is
    both true and clearer.
    "Return true if the object is a built-in method and isbuiltin() is false.

    I would follow with
    "The methods isclass, isfunction, ismethod, isbuiltin, and
    ismethoddescriptor are mutually exclusive."
    I believe the following is true, and could be added also.
    "Exact one is true for any instance of a built-in callable class."

  2. terryjreedy
    assigned
    birkenfeld
    on Jan 17, 2009
  3. terryjreedy
    added
    docsDocumentation in the Doc dir
    on Jan 17, 2009

  4. BreamoreBoy commented on Jul 4, 2010

    @BreamoreBoy
    BreamoreBoymannequin
    on Jul 4, 2010
    Mannequin

    Has this issue simply slipped under the radar?

  5. birkenfeld commented on Jul 11, 2010

    @birkenfeld
    birkenfeld
    on Jul 11, 2010
    Member

    No, I've just had no time to review the suggested changes.

  6. birkenfeld
    assigned
    docspython
    and unassigned
    birkenfeld
    on Jul 11, 2010

  7. birkenfeld commented on Oct 15, 2010

    @birkenfeld
    birkenfeld
    on Oct 15, 2010
    Member

    Committed suggestions with a few changes in r85541.

  8. birkenfeld
    closed this as completedon Oct 15, 2010
  9. ezio-melotti
    transferred this issue fromon Apr 10, 2022
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