Does ruby have a similar functions to the Python dir and help functions?

[py]

In python during runtime, or in the python shell you can type:

dir()

or

dir(<some_object>)

and get a list of variables, methods etc that exist for that object.

Also there is help(<some_object>), or help(<some_object.aMethod>).

does ruby have similar functions. I know that you can use ri....but
is there a function to call while in the ruby shell?

thanks

[Austin Ziegler]

Ruby can tell you the methods: obj.methods (there's also
#public_methods, #instance_methods, #private_methods, etc.). Ruby can
tell you the instance variables (#instance_variables).

Ruby can't tell you the documentation; there's no docstring like there
is in Python. There are some enhancements to irb available that give
an ri command from within irb.

-austin
--
Austin Ziegler * halos...@gmail.com * http://www.halostatue.ca/
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* aus...@zieglers.ca

[Jeremy McAnally]

def dir(object)
object.methods.sort
end

That should give you the same effect; as for the help method, ri is
your only option AFAIK.

--Jeremy

--
http://www.jeremymcanally.com/

My free Ruby e-book:
http://www.humblelittlerubybook.com/book/

My blogs:
http://www.mrneighborly.com/
http://www.rubyinpractice.com/

[Olivier Renaud]

Le vendredi 23 mars 2007 14:54, Austin Ziegler a écrit :
> Ruby can tell you the methods: obj.methods (there's also
> #public_methods, #instance_methods, #private_methods, etc.). Ruby can
> tell you the instance variables (#instance_variables).
>
> Ruby can't tell you the documentation; there's no docstring like there
> is in Python. There are some enhancements to irb available that give
> an ri command from within irb.
>
> -austin

Actually, irb can give you documentation. For example :

irb(main):001:0> help Array

It works like ri.

--
Olivier Renaud

[Jonas Pfenniger]

There is also the IHelp project : http://fhtr.org/projects/ihelp/

--
Cheers,
zimbatm

[Daniel DeLorme]

Austin Ziegler wrote:
> Ruby can tell you the methods: obj.methods (there's also
> #public_methods, #instance_methods, #private_methods, etc.). Ruby can
> tell you the instance variables (#instance_variables).

you can also use local_variables to get a list of... local variables!

Daniel