# How to get the "automatic documentation text" when documentation has been defined?
**URL:** https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-get-the-automatic-documentation-text-when-documentation-has-been-defined/59258
**Category:** General Usage
**Created:** [April 14, 2021, 8:35am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-get-the-automatic-documentation-text-when-documentation-has-been-defined/59258 "2021-04-14T08:35:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@maajdl](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/maajdl)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2021, 8:35am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-get-the-automatic-documentation-text-when-documentation-has-been-defined/59258/1 "2021-04-14T08:35:09Z")
Hello
I do like the **automatically generated documentation** like this:
```julia
No documentation found.
ThinkWare.idea is a Function.
# 6 methods for generic function "idea":
[1] idea(mx::Mixture) in ThinkWare at C:\Users\Rodin\ThinkWare\src\ideas.jl:66
[2] idea(su::Substance) in ThinkWare at C:\Users\Rodin\ThinkWare\src\ideas.jl:60
[3] idea(su::Substance, T) in ThinkWare at C:\Users\Rodin\ThinkWare\src\ideas.jl:60
[4] idea(su::Substance, T, p) in ThinkWare at C:\Users\Rodin\ThinkWare\src\ideas.jl:60
[5] idea(mx::Mixture, T) in ThinkWare at C:\Users\Rodin\ThinkWare\src\ideas.jl:72
[6] idea(mx::Mixture, T, p) in ThinkWare at C:\Users\Rodin\ThinkWare\src\ideas.jl:72
```
When I create my own documentation, using Docs.getdoc(…), how can I arrange to automatically append the **automatically generated documentation**?
Is there a function returning this **automatically generated documentation** without caring for existing documentation?
Thanks
Michel
---
### Author:  [@fredrikekre](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/fredrikekre)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2021, 9:38am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-get-the-automatic-documentation-text-when-documentation-has-been-defined/59258/2 "2021-04-14T09:38:37Z")
> [@maajdl](#):
>
> When I create my own documentation, using Docs.getdoc(…), how can I arrange to automatically append the **automatically generated documentation**?
Perhaps [`METHODLIST`](https://juliadocs.github.io/DocStringExtensions.jl/stable/#DocStringExtensions.METHODLIST) or [`SIGNATURES`](https://juliadocs.github.io/DocStringExtensions.jl/stable/#DocStringExtensions.SIGNATURES) from [DocStringExtensions.jl](https://github.com/JuliaDocs/DocStringExtensions.jl) fits your needs?
* * *
However, if you want output more similar to what `methods(f)` give in the Julia REPL as part of your docstrings you can define your own abbreviation, for example like this:
```julia
using DocStringExtensions
struct Methods <: DocStringExtensions.Abbreviation end
const METHODS = Methods()
function DocStringExtensions.format(::Methods, buf, doc)
binding = doc.data[:binding]
func = Docs.resolve(binding)
ml = methods(func)
io = IOBuffer()
show(io, MIME"text/plain"(), ml)
el = eachline(seekstart(io))
x = iterate(el)
x === nothing && return ""
io2 = IOBuffer()
l1, s = x
# First line is "# N methods for ..."
println(io2, chop(l1, head=2, tail=0))
x = iterate(el, s)
while x !== nothing
l, s = x
m = match(r"\[\d+\] (.*)", l)
println(io2, " - ", m[1])
x = iterate(el, s)
end
return print(buf, strip(String(take!(io2))))
end
```
Example:
```julia
f(x) = 1
f(x::Int) = 2
f(x::Float64) = 3
"""
f(x)
Do stuff.
$(METHODS)
"""
f
```
which gives
```shell
help?> f
search: f fd for fma fld fld1 fill fdio frexp foldr foldl flush floor float first fill!
f(x)
Do stuff
3 methods for generic function "f":
• f(x::Int64) in Main at /Users/fredrik/dev/DocStringExtensions/test.jl:31
• f(x::Float64) in Main at /Users/fredrik/dev/DocStringExtensions/test.jl:32
• f(x) in Main at /Users/fredrik/dev/DocStringExtensions/test.jl:30
```
---
### Author:  [@maajdl](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/maajdl)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2021, 10:32am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-get-the-automatic-documentation-text-when-documentation-has-been-defined/59258/3 "2021-04-14T10:32:02Z")
Thanks.
Good solution to simply use methods.
Michel