docs » hs.doc

Create documentation objects for interactive help within Hammerspoon

The documentation object created is a table with tostring metamethods allowing access to a specific functions documentation by appending the path to the method or function to the object created.

From the Hammerspoon console:

  doc = require("hs.doc")
  doc.hs.application

Results in:

  Manipulate running applications

  [submodules]
  hs.application.watcher

  [subitems]
  hs.application:activate([allWindows]) -> bool
  hs.application:allWindows() -> window[]
      ...
  hs.application:visibleWindows() -> win[]

By default, the internal core documentation and portions of the Lua 5.3 manual, located at http://www.lua.org/manual/5.3/manual.html, are already registered for inclusion within this documentation object, but you can register additional documentation from 3rd party modules with hs.registerJSONFile(...).

Submodules

API Overview

API Documentation

Functions

help
Signature hs.doc.help(identifier)
Type Function
Description Prints the documentation for some part of Hammerspoon's API and Lua 5.3. This function has also been aliased as `hs.help` and `help` as a shorthand for use within the Hammerspoon console.
Parameters
  • identifier - A string containing the signature of some part of Hammerspoon's API (e.g. "hs.reload")
Returns
  • None
Notes
  • This function is mainly for runtime API help while using Hammerspoon's Console
Source extensions/doc/init.lua
locateJSONFile
Signature hs.doc.locateJSONFile(module) -> path | false, message
Type Function
Description Locates the JSON file corresponding to the specified third-party module or Spoon by searching package.path and package.cpath.
Parameters
  • module - the name of the module to locate a JSON file for
Returns
  • the path to the JSON file, or false, error if unable to locate a corresponding JSON file.
Notes
  • The JSON should be named 'docs.json' and located in the same directory as the lua or so file which is used when the module is loaded via require.
Source extensions/doc/init.lua
preloadSpoonDocs
Signature hs.doc.preloadSpoonDocs()
Type Function
Description Locates all installed Spoon documentation files and and marks them for loading the next time the [hs.doc.help](#help) function is invoked.
Parameters
  • None
Returns
  • None
Source extensions/doc/init.lua
registeredFiles
Signature hs.doc.registeredFiles() -> table
Type Function
Description Returns the list of registered JSON files.
Parameters
  • None
Returns
  • a table containing the list of registered JSON files
Notes
  • The table returned by this function has a metatable including a __tostring method which allows you to see the list of registered files by simply typing hs.doc.registeredFiles() in the Hammerspoon Console.
Source extensions/doc/init.lua
registerJSONFile
Signature hs.doc.registerJSONFile(jsonfile, [isSpoon]) -> status[, message]
Type Function
Description Register a JSON file for inclusion when Hammerspoon generates internal documentation.
Parameters
  • jsonfile - A string containing the location of a JSON file
  • isSpoon - an optional boolean, default false, specifying that the documentation should be added to the spoons sub heading in the documentation hierarchy.
Returns
  • status - Boolean flag indicating if the file was registered or not. If the file was not registered, then a message indicating the error is also returned.
Notes
  • this function just registers the documentation file; it won't actually be loaded and parsed until hs.doc.help is invoked.
Source extensions/doc/internal.m
unregisterJSONFile
Signature hs.doc.unregisterJSONFile(jsonfile) -> status[, message]
Type Function
Description Remove a JSON file from the list of registered files.
Parameters
  • jsonfile - A string containing the location of a JSON file
Returns
  • status - Boolean flag indicating if the file was unregistered or not. If the file was not unregistered, then a message indicating the error is also returned.
Notes
  • This function requires the rebuilding of the entire documentation tree for all remaining registered files, so the next time help is queried with hs.doc.help, there may be a slight one-time delay.
Source extensions/doc/internal.m