file' code modules normally just define tools when runso this is usually irrelevant if you ask for documentation for top-level script filethoughthe shell window where you launched pydoc serves as the script' standard input and output for any user interaction the net effect is that the documentation page for script will appear after it runsand after its printed output shows up in the shell window this may work better for some scripts than othersthoughinteractive inputfor examplemay interleave oddly with pydoc' own server command prompts once you get past the new start page in figure - the documentation pages for specific modules are essentially the same in both the newer all-browser mode and the earlier gui-client schemeapart from the additional input fields at the top of page in the former for instancefigure - shows the new documentation display pages-opened on two user-defined modules we'll be writing in the next part of this bookas part of ' benchmarking case study in either schemedocumentation pages contain automatically created hyperlinks that allow you to click your way through the documentation of related components in your application for instanceyou'll find links to open imported modulespages too because of the similarity in their display pagesthe next section on pre- pydoc and its screen shots largely apply after tooso be sure to read ahead for additional notes even if you're using more recent python in effect ' pydoc simply cuts out the pre- gui client "middleman,while retaining its browser and server pydoc in python also still supports other former usage modes for instancepydoc - port can be used to set its pydoc server portand pydoc - module still writes module' html documentation to file named module html for later viewing only the pydoc - gui client mode is removed and replaced by pydoc - you can also run pydoc to generate plain-text form of the documentation (its unix "manpageflavor shown earlier in this --the following command line is equivalent to the help call at an interactive python promptc:\codepy - - pydoc timeit command-line text help :\codepy - help("timeit"interactive prompt text help as an interactive systemyour best bet is to take pydoc' web-based interface for test driveso we'll cut its usage details short heresee python' manuals for additional details and command-line options also note that pydoc' server and browser functionality come largely "for freefrom tools that automate such utility in the portable modules of python' standard library ( webbrowserhttp serverconsult pydoc' python code in the standard library file pydoc py for additional details and inspiration python documentation sources