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gh-65824: Improve help() when MANPAGER and PAGER variables are not set #21520

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gh-65824: Improve help() when MANPAGER and PAGER variables are not set #21520

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137c5e5
bpo-21625: Improve help() when MANPAGER and PAGER variables are not set
ZackerySpytz Jul 17, 2020
318bfe1
Merge branch 'main' into bpo-21625-help-pager-quit
erlend-aasland Jan 5, 2024
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3 changes: 2 additions & 1 deletion Lib/pydoc.py
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -1583,7 +1583,8 @@ def getpager():
if sys.platform == 'win32':
return lambda text: tempfilepager(plain(text), 'more <')
if hasattr(os, 'system') and os.system('(less) 2>/dev/null') == 0:
return lambda text: pipepager(text, 'less')
cmd = 'less "-P?e(END) .(q to quit)" --quit-at-eof'
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Do also considering adding the -X and -F (latter is the same as --quit-if-one-screen) flags.

From the less documentation,

-X causes less to not clear screen upon quit

-X or --no-init

Disables sending the termcap initialization and deinitialization strings to the terminal. This is sometimes desirable if the deinitialization string does something unnecessary, like clearing the screen.

and with -F, it quits if the help fits in one screen

-F or --quit-if-one-screen

Causes less to automatically exit if the entire file can be displayed on the first screen.
Suggested change
cmd = 'less "-P?e(END) .(q to quit)" --quit-at-eof'
cmd = 'less "-P?e(END) .(q to quit)" -X --quit-if-one-screen --quit-at-eof'

return lambda text: pipepager(text, cmd)

import tempfile
(fd, filename) = tempfile.mkstemp()
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2 changes: 2 additions & 0 deletions Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2020-07-17-10-15-59.bpo-21625.cKVDj2.rst
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@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
When the ``MANPAGER`` and ``PAGER`` environment variables are not set,
interactive :func:`help` now quits if enter is pressed on the last line.
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Also add info about "(q to quit)" message on the status line?