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classification
Title: Clarify inspect.is method docs
Type: Stage:
Components: Documentation Versions: Python 3.1, Python 3.2
process
Status: closed Resolution: fixed
Dependencies: Superseder:
Assigned To: docs@python Nosy List: BreamoreBoy, docs@python, georg.brandl, terry.reedy
Priority: normal Keywords:

Created on 2009-01-17 03:26 by terry.reedy, last changed 2022-04-11 14:56 by admin. This issue is now closed.

Messages (4)
msg79999 - (view) Author: Terry J. Reedy (terry.reedy) * (Python committer) Date: 2009-01-17 03:26
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."
msg109272 - (view) Author: Mark Lawrence (BreamoreBoy) * Date: 2010-07-04 22:26
Has this issue simply slipped under the radar?
msg109968 - (view) Author: Georg Brandl (georg.brandl) * (Python committer) Date: 2010-07-11 08:37
No, I've just had no time to review the suggested changes.
msg118802 - (view) Author: Georg Brandl (georg.brandl) * (Python committer) Date: 2010-10-15 16:53
Committed suggestions with a few changes in r85541.
History
Date User Action Args
2022-04-11 14:56:44adminsetgithub: 49218
2010-10-15 16:53:38georg.brandlsetstatus: open -> closed
resolution: fixed
messages: + msg118802
2010-07-12 00:09:00terry.reedysetversions: + Python 3.2, - Python 3.0
2010-07-11 08:37:21georg.brandlsetassignee: georg.brandl -> docs@python

messages: + msg109968
nosy: + docs@python
2010-07-04 22:26:11BreamoreBoysetnosy: + BreamoreBoy
messages: + msg109272
2009-01-17 03:26:08terry.reedycreate