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classification
Title: Setup & Usage documentation for pydoc, IDLE, & 2to3
Type: enhancement Stage: needs patch
Components: Documentation Versions: Python 3.8, Python 3.7, Python 2.7
process
Status: open Resolution:
Dependencies: Superseder:
Assigned To: docs@python Nosy List: Al.Sweigart, docs@python, ncoghlan, ned.deily, terry.reedy, tshepang
Priority: normal Keywords:

Created on 2012-05-29 01:47 by ncoghlan, last changed 2022-04-11 14:57 by admin.

Messages (8)
msg161831 - (view) Author: Nick Coghlan (ncoghlan) * (Python committer) Date: 2012-05-29 01:47
pydoc is installed as a script by Python. It should be documented under http://docs.python.org/dev/using/index.html.
msg161836 - (view) Author: Nick Coghlan (ncoghlan) * (Python committer) Date: 2012-05-29 02:18
Same goes for idle and 2to3. These may just be cross-references to the relevant module documentation rather than completely new text.
msg161843 - (view) Author: Terry J. Reedy (terry.reedy) * (Python committer) Date: 2012-05-29 03:22
I second the motion for IDLE. There is no module doc for it.

Off the top of my head, there should be a general section that
* says what it is, and that it depends on tcl/tk and tkinter install;
* mentions the existent of the menu Help / IDLE help document;
* gives common startup methods from command line (I forget this) or inside interpreter ('from idlelib import idle') and that one may need to use one of these to see tracebacks if Idle crashes - even if one normally uses a system-specific method to directly run as gui app.
* gives other common info and trouble-shooting tips (some of this is on tracker - such as deleting user .cfg that prevents startup).
* points to system specific discussions, where ever they are put.

Then for each system,
* tcl/tk situation
* how to directly start up
* location of config files

Windows: (what I use)
tcl/tk comes with system.
...

*nix: 
tcl/tk probably already on system
...

mac: (ned daily)
special tcl/tk issues, special page on site
...
msg161844 - (view) Author: Ned Deily (ned.deily) * (Python committer) Date: 2012-05-29 03:27
http://docs.python.org/py3k/library/idle.html (duplicates much of the IDLE help file)
msg161845 - (view) Author: Terry J. Reedy (terry.reedy) * (Python committer) Date: 2012-05-29 03:31
Hmm, how did I miss that?? Well better to reference that, and maybe revise it. I believe there may also be another .txt document in idlelib.

Anyway, perhaps there should first be a section on tkinter by itself, and how to get the tcl/tk it depends on. Mention that optional part of Windows install, so tkinter will likely not work if unselected from installer.
msg225118 - (view) Author: Mark Lawrence (BreamoreBoy) * Date: 2014-08-09 23:27
I'm assuming that this still applies to 3.4 and 2.7.
msg296381 - (view) Author: Terry J. Reedy (terry.reedy) * (Python committer) Date: 2017-06-19 21:59
I am not sure where installed scripts are documented in Using Python.  'idle' and 'idle3' are not installed on Windows.
msg338499 - (view) Author: Terry J. Reedy (terry.reedy) * (Python committer) Date: 2019-03-20 17:15
idle.html, derived from idle.rst, is now the IDLE help file.

pip also has pip3 command; perhaps ensurepip should be mentioned.
History
Date User Action Args
2022-04-11 14:57:30adminsetgithub: 59149
2019-03-20 17:15:04terry.reedysetmessages: + msg338499
versions: + Python 3.8, - Python 3.6
2017-06-19 22:44:08BreamoreBoysetnosy: - BreamoreBoy
2017-06-19 21:59:35terry.reedysettitle: Setup & Usage documentation for pydoc, idle & 2to3 -> Setup & Usage documentation for pydoc, IDLE, & 2to3
messages: + msg296381
versions: + Python 3.6, Python 3.7, - Python 3.4, Python 3.5
2015-01-04 02:29:37Al.Sweigartsetnosy: + Al.Sweigart
2014-12-31 16:21:29akuchlingsetnosy: - akuchling
2014-08-09 23:27:53BreamoreBoysetnosy: + BreamoreBoy

messages: + msg225118
versions: + Python 3.5, - Python 3.3
2013-06-15 19:01:02terry.reedysetversions: + Python 3.4, - Python 3.2
2012-05-31 08:55:26akuchlingsetnosy: + akuchling
2012-05-29 04:05:51tshepangsetnosy: + tshepang
2012-05-29 03:31:21terry.reedysetmessages: + msg161845
2012-05-29 03:27:20ned.deilysetnosy: + ned.deily
messages: + msg161844
2012-05-29 03:22:48terry.reedysetnosy: + terry.reedy
messages: + msg161843
2012-05-29 02:18:32ncoghlansetmessages: + msg161836
title: Setup & Usage documentation for pydoc -> Setup & Usage documentation for pydoc, idle & 2to3
2012-05-29 01:47:37ncoghlancreate