[doc] range is not a built-in function

[bgailer]

BPO	37430
Nosy	@terryjreedy, @slateny

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GitHub fields:

assignee = None
closed_at = None
created_at = <Date 2019-06-27.15:39:32.877>
labels = ['easy', 'type-bug', '3.9', '3.10', '3.11', 'docs']
title = '[doc] range is not a built-in function'
updated_at = <Date 2022-03-28.09:10:10.773>
user = 'https://bugs.python.org/bgailer'

bugs.python.org fields:

activity = <Date 2022-03-28.09:10:10.773>
actor = 'slateny'
assignee = 'docs@python'
closed = False
closed_date = None
closer = None
components = ['Documentation']
creation = <Date 2019-06-27.15:39:32.877>
creator = 'bgailer'
dependencies = []
files = []
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 37430
keywords = ['easy']
message_count = 5.0
messages = ['346745', '346753', '346784', '346887', '416153']
nosy_count = 4.0
nosy_names = ['terry.reedy', 'bgailer', 'docs@python', 'slateny']
pr_nums = []
priority = 'normal'
resolution = None
stage = None
status = 'open'
superseder = None
type = 'behavior'
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue37430'
versions = ['Python 3.9', 'Python 3.10', 'Python 3.11']

Linked PRs

• gh-81611: Improve range paragraph in 8.3 of language reference #98353
• [3.11] gh-81611: Improve range paragraph in 8.3 of language reference (GH-98353) #100704
• [3.10] gh-81611: Improve range paragraph in 8.3 of language reference (GH-98353) #100705

[bgailer]

In section 8.3 The for statement there is a reference to range as a built-in function. That was true in python 2. Now range is a built-in type.

[terryjreedy]

I presume you are referring to 8.3 of the language reference
https://docs.python.org/3/reference/compound_stmts.html#the-for-statement
which has "the built-in function range()". Types/classes *are* functions, which is why dist, list, range, etc are listed in "Built-in Functions" in the library reference. But I agree that the more specific term should be used.

To me, the more severe problem is with the complete sentence.

"Hint: the built-in function range() returns an iterator of integers suitable to emulate the effect of Pascal’s for i := a to b do; e.g., list(range(3)) returns the list [0, 1, 2]."

The now obsolete definition of Python in terms of the now obscure Pascal should be deleted here and anywhere else such remains. I think the whole sentence should just be deleted. The whole paragraph and example could otherwise be improved.

[bgailer]

Thanks for explaining. Indeed range appears in __builtins__. It is a surprise to type range and get <class 'range'> in response. sum otoh gives <built-in function sum>. The distinction between function, type and class seems muddy.

When I enter "range" in the index box in the windows documentation display I am offered:

(1)built-in function, which takes me to the paragraph that started this issue. It does NOT take me to the built-in functions topic, whereas sum does.

(2) object, and range (built-in class)which take me to the built-in types topic. This seems to add to the confusion.

[terryjreedy]

Then it appears the indexing could also be improved.