Port changes to pickle docs apparently lost in py3k.

Doc/library/pickle.rst

@@ -427,33 +427,38 @@ implementation of this behaviour::
        obj.__dict__.update(attributes)
        return obj
 
-.. index:: single: __getnewargs__() (copy protocol)
-
 Classes can alter the default behaviour by providing one or several special
-methods.  In protocol 2 and newer, classes that implements the
+methods:
-:meth:`__getnewargs__` method can dictate the values passed to the
-:meth:`__new__` method upon unpickling.  This is often needed for classes
-whose :meth:`__new__` method requires arguments.
 
-.. index:: single: __getstate__() (copy protocol)
+.. method:: object.__getnewargs__()
 
-Classes can further influence how their instances are pickled; if the class
+   In protocol 2 and newer, classes that implements the :meth:`__getnewargs__`
-defines the method :meth:`__getstate__`, it is called and the returned object is
+   method can dictate the values passed to the :meth:`__new__` method upon
-pickled as the contents for the instance, instead of the contents of the
+   unpickling.  This is often needed for classes whose :meth:`__new__` method
-instance's dictionary.  If the :meth:`__getstate__` method is absent, the
+   requires arguments.
-instance's :attr:`__dict__` is pickled as usual.
 
-.. index:: single: __setstate__() (copy protocol)
 
-Upon unpickling, if the class defines :meth:`__setstate__`, it is called with
+.. method:: object.__getstate__()
-the unpickled state.  In that case, there is no requirement for the state object
-to be a dictionary. Otherwise, the pickled state must be a dictionary and its
-items are assigned to the new instance's dictionary.
 
-.. note::
+   Classes can further influence how their instances are pickled; if the class
+   defines the method :meth:`__getstate__`, it is called and the returned object
+   is pickled as the contents for the instance, instead of the contents of the
+   instance's dictionary.  If the :meth:`__getstate__` method is absent, the
+   instance's :attr:`__dict__` is pickled as usual.
+
+
+.. method:: object.__setstate__(state)
+
+   Upon unpickling, if the class defines :meth:`__setstate__`, it is called with
+   the unpickled state.  In that case, there is no requirement for the state
+   object to be a dictionary.  Otherwise, the pickled state must be a dictionary
+   and its items are assigned to the new instance's dictionary.
+
+   .. note::
 
       If :meth:`__getstate__` returns a false value, the :meth:`__setstate__`
-   method will not be called.
+      method will not be called upon unpickling.
+
 
 Refer to the section :ref:`pickle-state` for more information about how to use
 the methods :meth:`__getstate__` and :meth:`__setstate__`.
@@ -462,14 +467,12 @@ the methods :meth:`__getstate__` and :meth:`__setstate__`.
 
    At unpickling time, some methods like :meth:`__getattr__`,
    :meth:`__getattribute__`, or :meth:`__setattr__` may be called upon the
-   instance.  In case those methods rely on some internal invariant being
+   instance.  In case those methods rely on some internal invariant being true,
-   true, the type should implement either :meth:`__getinitargs__` or
+   the type should implement :meth:`__getnewargs__` to establish such an
-   :meth:`__getnewargs__` to establish such an invariant; otherwise, neither
+   invariant; otherwise, neither :meth:`__new__` nor :meth:`__init__` will be
-   :meth:`__new__` nor :meth:`__init__` will be called.
+   called.
 
-.. index::
+.. index:: pair: copy; protocol
-   pair: copy; protocol
-   single: __reduce__() (copy protocol)
 
 As we shall see, pickle does not use directly the methods described above.  In
 fact, these methods are part of the copy protocol which implements the
@@ -480,58 +483,61 @@ objects. [#]_
 Although powerful, implementing :meth:`__reduce__` directly in your classes is
 error prone.  For this reason, class designers should use the high-level
 interface (i.e., :meth:`__getnewargs__`, :meth:`__getstate__` and
-:meth:`__setstate__`) whenever possible.  We will show, however, cases where using
+:meth:`__setstate__`) whenever possible.  We will show, however, cases where
-:meth:`__reduce__` is the only option or leads to more efficient pickling or
+using :meth:`__reduce__` is the only option or leads to more efficient pickling
-both.
+or both.
 
-The interface is currently defined as follows. The :meth:`__reduce__` method
+.. method:: object.__reduce__()
-takes no argument and shall return either a string or preferably a tuple (the
-returned object is often referred to as the "reduce value").
 
-If a string is returned, the string should be interpreted as the name of a
+   The interface is currently defined as follows.  The :meth:`__reduce__` method
-global variable.  It should be the object's local name relative to its module;
+   takes no argument and shall return either a string or preferably a tuple (the
-the pickle module searches the module namespace to determine the object's
+   returned object is often referred to as the "reduce value").
-module.  This behaviour is typically useful for singletons.
 
-When a tuple is returned, it must be between two and five items long.  Optional
+   If a string is returned, the string should be interpreted as the name of a
-items can either be omitted, or ``None`` can be provided as their value.  The
+   global variable.  It should be the object's local name relative to its
-semantics of each item are in order:
+   module; the pickle module searches the module namespace to determine the
+   object's module.  This behaviour is typically useful for singletons.
 
-.. XXX Mention __newobj__ special-case?
+   When a tuple is returned, it must be between two and five items long.
+   Optional items can either be omitted, or ``None`` can be provided as their
+   value.  The semantics of each item are in order:
 
-* A callable object that will be called to create the initial version of the
+   .. XXX Mention __newobj__ special-case?
+
+   * A callable object that will be called to create the initial version of the
      object.
 
-* A tuple of arguments for the callable object. An empty tuple must be given if
+   * A tuple of arguments for the callable object.  An empty tuple must be given
-  the callable does not accept any argument.
+     if the callable does not accept any argument.
 
-* Optionally, the object's state, which will be passed to the object's
+   * Optionally, the object's state, which will be passed to the object's
      :meth:`__setstate__` method as previously described.  If the object has no
-  such method then, the value must be a dictionary and it will be added to the
+     such method then, the value must be a dictionary and it will be added to
-  object's :attr:`__dict__` attribute.
+     the object's :attr:`__dict__` attribute.
 
-* Optionally, an iterator (and not a sequence) yielding successive items.  These
+   * Optionally, an iterator (and not a sequence) yielding successive items.
-  items will be appended to the object either using ``obj.append(item)`` or, in
+     These items will be appended to the object either using
-  batch, using ``obj.extend(list_of_items)``.  This is primarily used for list
+     ``obj.append(item)`` or, in batch, using ``obj.extend(list_of_items)``.
-  subclasses, but may be used by other classes as long as they have
+     This is primarily used for list subclasses, but may be used by other
-  :meth:`append` and :meth:`extend` methods with the appropriate signature.
+     classes as long as they have :meth:`append` and :meth:`extend` methods with
-  (Whether :meth:`append` or :meth:`extend` is used depends on which pickle
+     the appropriate signature.  (Whether :meth:`append` or :meth:`extend` is
-  protocol version is used as well as the number of items to append, so both
+     used depends on which pickle protocol version is used as well as the number
-  must be supported.)
+     of items to append, so both must be supported.)
 
-* Optionally, an iterator (not a sequence) yielding successive key-value pairs.
+   * Optionally, an iterator (not a sequence) yielding successive key-value
-  These items will be stored to the object using ``obj[key] = value``.  This is
+     pairs.  These items will be stored to the object using ``obj[key] =
-  primarily used for dictionary subclasses, but may be used by other classes as
+     value``.  This is primarily used for dictionary subclasses, but may be used
-  long as they implement :meth:`__setitem__`.
+     by other classes as long as they implement :meth:`__setitem__`.
 
-.. index:: single: __reduce_ex__() (copy protocol)
 
-Alternatively, a :meth:`__reduce_ex__` method may be defined.  The only
+.. method:: object.__reduce_ex__(protocol)
-difference is this method should take a single integer argument, the protocol
+
-version.  When defined, pickle will prefer it over the :meth:`__reduce__`
+   Alternatively, a :meth:`__reduce_ex__` method may be defined.  The only
-method.  In addition, :meth:`__reduce__` automatically becomes a synonym for the
+   difference is this method should take a single integer argument, the protocol
-extended version.  The main use for this method is to provide
+   version.  When defined, pickle will prefer it over the :meth:`__reduce__`
-backwards-compatible reduce values for older Python releases.
+   method.  In addition, :meth:`__reduce__` automatically becomes a synonym for
+   the extended version.  The main use for this method is to provide
+   backwards-compatible reduce values for older Python releases.
 
 .. _pickle-persistent: