On some objects I have, calling 'help(obj)' raises an
exception.  Python 2.4.2, Windows XP.

This is the traceback, together with some info from
pdb.pm():

>>> help(r)
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in ?
  File "C:\Python24\lib\site.py", line 328, in __call__
    return pydoc.help(*args, **kwds)
  File "c:\python24\lib\pydoc.py", line 1647, in __call__
    self.help(request)
  File "c:\python24\lib\pydoc.py", line 1691, in help
    else: doc(request, 'Help on %s:')
  File "c:\python24\lib\pydoc.py", line 1475, in doc
    pager(title % desc + '\n\n' + text.document(object,
name))
  File "c:\python24\lib\pydoc.py", line 296, in document
    if inspect.isclass(object): return self.docclass(*args)
  File "c:\python24\lib\pydoc.py", line 1193, in docclass
    lambda t: t[1] == 'method')
  File "c:\python24\lib\pydoc.py", line 1143, in spill
    name, mod, object))
  File "c:\python24\lib\pydoc.py", line 301, in document
    return self.docother(*args)
  File "c:\python24\lib\pydoc.py", line 1290, in docother
    chop = maxlen - len(line)
TypeError: unsupported operand type(s) for -:
'_compointer_meta' and 'int'
>>> import pdb
>>> pdb.pm()
> c:\python24\lib\pydoc.py(1290)docother()
-> chop = maxlen - len(line)
(Pdb) args
self = <pydoc.TextDoc instance at 0x00CC0DA0>
object = <comtypes.named_property object at 0x00CA9390>
name = Item
mod = None
maxlen = <class 'comtypes.POINTER(IROIList)'>
doc = None
(Pdb) where
  <stdin>(1)?()
  c:\python24\lib\site.py(328)__call__()
-> return pydoc.help(*args, **kwds)
  c:\python24\lib\pydoc.py(1647)__call__()
-> self.help(request)
  c:\python24\lib\pydoc.py(1691)help()
-> else: doc(request, 'Help on %s:')
  c:\python24\lib\pydoc.py(1477)doc()
-> print value
  c:\python24\lib\pydoc.py(299)document()
-> pass
  c:\python24\lib\pydoc.py(1193)docclass()
-> lambda t: t[1] == 'method')
  c:\python24\lib\pydoc.py(1143)spill()
-> name, mod, object))
  c:\python24\lib\pydoc.py(301)document()
-> return self.docother(*args)
> c:\python24\lib\pydoc.py(1290)docother()
-> chop = maxlen - len(line)
(Pdb)


The problem seems to be that the TextDoc.docother
method is called with unexpected arguments.

The signature is 
docother(object, name, mod, maxlen, doc)

but it is called with the object to document as the
'maxlen' parameter.

Logged In: YES 
user_id=849994

This was already fixed in rev. 39636/7 and will be in 2.4.3.