TODO note my_methods

ri_for gem:

A "run time RI for existing methods", this gem allows you to grab a method's docu at runtime--for example within a irb.  It display the method's source code/comments, ri (if available), arity, parameters, etc.

It has proved quite useful, and I wouldn't do a ruby-debug session without it--you might really like it.

Examples:

>> class A; 
    def go(a); end; 
   end

>> A.new.ri_for :go
sig: A#go arity 1
def go(a)
  # do nothing
end
Parameters: go(a)
Searching ri for sig: A#go arity 1 ...
(end ri)
=> "Parameters: go(a)"

(or you could do A.ri_for :go -- it falls back to show the instance method if it can't find the class method)

>> File.ri_for :delete
ri for File.delete
----------------------------------------------------------- File::delete
     File.delete(file_name, ...)  => integer
     File.unlink(file_name, ...)  => integer

     From Ruby 1.9.1
------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Deletes the named files, returning the number of names passed as
     arguments. Raises an exception on any error. See also +Dir::rmdir+.

(end ri)
#<Method: File.delete>     arity: -1
appears to be a c method
#parameters signature: delete( [[:rest]] )

Or (my favorite) a debug session:

(rdb:1) l=
...
 74       assert(assigns['order'].order_line_items.map(:unit_price).min >= -5)
...
(rdb:1) desc_method :assert
#<Method: StoreControllerTest(Test::Unit::Assertions)#assert>      arity: -2
ri for Test::Unit::Assertions#assert
------------------------------------------ Test::Unit::Assertions#assert
     assert(boolean, message=nil)

     From gem test-unit-2.0.1
------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Asserts that +boolean+ is not false or nil.

     Example:

       assert [1, 2].include?(5)

(end ri)
def assert(boolean, message = nil)
  _wrap_assertion do
    assert_block("assert should not be called with a block.") do
      (not block_given?)
    end
    assert_block(build_message(message, "<?> is not true.", boolean)) { boolean }
  end
end
Parameters: assert(boolean, message = nil)

Thus, you can look at methods' source/rdocs without having to step into them.  Deftly convenient.

========= How to Install=====
$ gem install rogerdpack-desc_method
or
$ gem install rogerdpack-desc_method --source http://gems.github.com 
if you don't have gems.github.com as a gem source.

Usage:
>> require 'desc_method'
>> Class.desc_method :method_name # class or instance method name
...
>> some_instance.desc_method :method_name

Other goodies included:

Class#desc_class method

An example:
>> Object.desc_class
# outputs descriptive info about that class--RI, method list, etc.
>> Object.desc_class :verbose => true
# outputs RI, method lists including inherited methods, ancestors, all constants etc.

Kernel#methods has been monkey patched to output a "separator" between its inherited and non inherited methods--i.e.
>> instance.methods
=> [:first, :second, :after_this_are_inherited>>>>>, :some_inherited_method, :another_inherited_method] # adds in that separator

I'll probably remove that in a future release since it turns out you can just run Kernel#methods(false) for about much.

=== Thanks ===
This gem wraps for convenience the functionality of Method#source_location, ruby2ruby, et al, and also contains some code inspiration from manvenu, SourceRef (MBARI), and Python's Method#desc.  It also wouldn't be useful without irb and the ruby-debug folks. Thanks!

Comments/suggestions welcome rogerdpack on gmail or github