JuliaDocs/Documenter.jl

Feature request: jldoctest examples without testing against expected results

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#452 opened on Mar 20, 2017

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Type: Enhancementhelp wanted

Description

Hi!

I want to add examples to my functions, but in many cases it is hard or not necessary to test the expected output. However, it may still be useful to test whether the functions/examples runs through or crashes. Is it possible to have a jldoctest with such a behavior? Perhaps by omitting the line(s) with expected outcomes as shown below:

"""
    func_with_untestable_output(invar)

```jldoctest
julia> func_with_untestable_output(invar)
# Nothing to test against
```
"""
function func_with_untestable_output(invar) ...

The behavior I am looking for is the equivalent to adding this piece of "code" to the markdown documents:

```@example
a = 1
b = 2
a + b
nothing # hide
```

However, I think it is more convenient to place the examples and testing whether they work or not directly in the files containing the Julia code, rather than in the markdown documents.

Contributor guide

Tech stack
None
Domain
documentationtooling
Issue type
feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-2 days
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
stale
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
Julia programmingDocumenter.jl internalsdoctest syntax
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
60
Research direction
Examine the Documenter.jl codebase, particularly the jldoctest processing in src/DocTests.jl or similar modules. Review existing @example block implementation for guidance. Consider any proposed solutions in the issue comments, and design a method to allow doctests to run without expected output comparison, possibly via a keyword argument or syntax change.