---
name: "pythondoc"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "pythondoc"
version: "0.6-2"
release: "Debian 2.2 (Potato)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pythondoc"
---

# pythondoc(1)

documentation generator for Python

## NAME

pythondoc - documentation generator for Python

## SYNOPSIS

**pythondoc** *\[-a\] \[-D\] \[-d dir\] \[-f format\] \[-h\] \[-i\] \[-l\] \[-o option\_file\] \[-s dir\] \[-v\] \[key=value ...\] files ...*

## DESCRIPTION

This manual page documents briefly the **pythondoc** command. This page was put together from the output of pythondoc -h  for the Debian GNU/Linux distribution because the original program does not have a manual page.

**pythondoc** scans one or several python modules for documentation strings. From the documentation strings, manual pages are generated in any of FrameMaker MIF, MML, HTML and ASCII formats.

Note that you can give multiple format options at once. It is a lot faster, since the the source files are only parsed/imported and traversed once.

The **key=value** options are used to send arguments to formatters. These definitions can be put in the environment as well, where 'key' is an environment variable. The 'key' can either be '\<module\>\_\<keyname\>', or just '\<keyname\>'. Options can also be read from option files. Option files are read from the directory /etc/pythondoc and your home directory (named pythondoc.opts), or by giving a filename with the **-o** option.

## OPTIONS

The programs follow the usual GNU command line syntax, with long options starting with two dashes (\`-'). A summary of options are included below.

- **-h, --help**

  Print help text.

- **-a, --all**

  Generate documentation for all modules in sys.path.

- **-D, --nodoc**

  Don't generate document pages.

- **-d dir, --directory dir**

  Save generated files in the **dir** directory.

- **-f format, --format format**

  Generate files using the formatter **format**

- **-i, --index**

  Generate index pages.

- **-l, --load**

  Load previously saved doctrees.

- **-o optionfile, --options optionfile**

  Load options from given file.

- **-s dir, --savedir dir**

  Save/read doctrees from given directory.

- **-v, --verbose**

  Verbose mode

- **key=value**

  Pass formatter options.

## FORMATTER OPTIONS

The **key=value** options are used to send arguments to formatters. These definitions can be put in the environment as well.

- all -- main: Traverse sys.path and document everything

  (type: bool, default: 0)

- options -- main: Pythondoc option file

  (type: file path, default: )

- document -- main: Generate document pages

  (type: bool, default: 1)

- directory -- main: Directory to store output

  (type: directory path, default: .)

- savedir -- main: Save doctrees

  (type: directory path, default: )

- head -- main: Generate head page

  (type: bool, default: 0)

- index -- main: Generate index pages

  (type: bool, default: 0)

- load -- main: Load previously saved doctrees

  (type: bool, default: 0)

- frame -- HTML4: Generate pages using frames

  (type: bool, default: 0)

- footer\_file -- HTML4: HTML footer code file

  (type: file path, default: /usr/lib/python1.5/site-packages/pythondoc/formatters/HTML4ValidateFooter.html)

- header\_file -- HTML4: HTML header file

  (type: file path, default: /usr/lib/python1.5/site-packages/pythondoc/formatters/HTML4StdHeader.html)

- stylesheet -- HTML4: CSS stylesheet URL

  (type: URL, default: pythondoc.css)

- foobar -- HTML4: Test enum

  (type: Enumeration, default: Foo, valid values: ('Foo', 'bar', 'help'))

## FORMATTERS

Currently the following formatters are supported:

- XML

  - HTML4

  ## AUTHOR

This manual page was written by Gregor Hoffleit \<flight@debian.org\>, for the Debian GNU/Linux system (but may be used by others).