Missing accepting path-like object in docstrings of os module functions

[zhangyangyu]

BPO	29341
Nosy	@gvanrossum, @zhangyangyu, @emilyemorehouse, @pablogsal, @vinu2003, @farhaanbukhsh, @tirkarthi, @BNMetrics, @mayankasthana
PRs	bpo-29341: Added path.like object to docstring in posixmodule.c and posixmodule.c.h #10101 [3.7]bpo-29341: Backport b942707 3.7 #10298 [3.6]bpo-29341: Backport b942707 3.6 #10299

^{Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.}

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GitHub fields:

assignee = None
closed_at = <Date 2018-11-02.17:57:30.626>
created_at = <Date 2017-01-22.05:47:41.547>
labels = ['easy', '3.7', 'docs']
title = 'Missing accepting path-like object in docstrings of os module functions'
updated_at = <Date 2018-11-02.17:58:00.885>
user = 'https://github.com/zhangyangyu'

bugs.python.org fields:

activity = <Date 2018-11-02.17:58:00.885>
actor = 'pablogsal'
assignee = 'docs@python'
closed = True
closed_date = <Date 2018-11-02.17:57:30.626>
closer = 'pablogsal'
components = ['Documentation']
creation = <Date 2017-01-22.05:47:41.547>
creator = 'xiang.zhang'
dependencies = []
files = []
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 29341
keywords = ['patch', 'easy']
message_count = 10.0
messages = ['285988', '286141', '286143', '325263', '327235', '328337', '329134', '329147', '329148', '329150']
nosy_count = 10.0
nosy_names = ['gvanrossum', 'docs@python', 'xiang.zhang', 'emilyemorehouse', 'pablogsal', 'vinu2003', 'fhackdroid', 'xtreak', 'BNMetrics', 'masthana']
pr_nums = ['10101', '10298', '10299']
priority = 'normal'
resolution = 'fixed'
stage = 'resolved'
status = 'closed'
superseder = None
type = None
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue29341'
versions = ['Python 3.6', 'Python 3.7']

[zhangyangyu]

PathLike objects are added in 3.6 and they are mentioned in the documentation. But in some os module functions' docstrings, acceptable types of path parameter are mentioned and they are not altered to mention path-like object. For example:

chown(path, uid, gid, *, dir_fd=None, follow_symlinks=True)
    Change the owner and group id of path to the numeric uid and gid.\
    
      path
        Path to be examined; can be string, bytes, or open-file-descriptor int.

[emilyemorehouse]

I see that path-like objects are indeed mentioned in the documentation (Doc/library/os.rst), simply stating "Changed in version 3.6: Supports a path-like object." Other methods, such as os.chroot, also mention such a change.

Comparing the docs mentioned above to the docstrings in Modules/clinic/posixmodule.c.h (and Modules/clinic/posixmodule.c for that matter), there's a clear disparity between the detail in the docs vs brevity in the docstrings (specifically in reference to os.chroot).

Therefore, my question is: how detailed should the docstrings be and how closely should they match Doc/library/os.rst? I can certainly update the docstrings accordingly.

[zhangyangyu]

I don't mean to sync the docstring and the documentation totally. But just like os.chown, there are some functions explicitly mention the acceptable types of path parameter in their docstrings. I think since they already mention the types, then make the list complete. For example, I think for os.chown make the list "can be string, bytes, path-like object or open-file-descriptor int" is enough.

[farhaanbukhsh]

Hey I would like to make this change which file should I look into?

[vinu2003]

This is now carried forward in 3.8 also. Is anyone working on this issue ?
It needs to be corrected in doc-string for all method where its applicable

[BNMetrics]

Farhaan Bukhsh: you said you wanted to work on this but that was over a month ago, so I presume you've directed your attention elsewhere, and I'd like to give this a try.

[pablogsal]

New changeset b942707 by Pablo Galindo (BNMetrics) in branch 'master':
bpo-29341: Clarify that path-like objects are accepted in some os methods (GH-10101)
b942707

[pablogsal]

New changeset 8d2f88f by Pablo Galindo (BNMetrics) in branch '3.6':
[3.6]bpo-29341: Backport b942707 3.6 (GH-10299)
8d2f88f

[pablogsal]

New changeset 08026b1 by Pablo Galindo (BNMetrics) in branch '3.7':
[3.7]bpo-29341: Backport b942707 3.7 (bpo-10298)
08026b1

[pablogsal]

The docstrings are fixed and the (manual!) backports to 3.7 and 3.6 are done. Very good job, Luna!