Add a provisional API for replacing the help formatter (#4011)

* Adds an API for replacing the help formatter

* Apply suggestions from code review

Co-authored-by: jack1142 <6032823+jack1142@users.noreply.github.com>

* add note about provisionality

Co-authored-by: jack1142 <6032823+jack1142@users.noreply.github.com>

docs/framework_commands.rst

@@ -44,3 +44,17 @@ extend functionalities used throughout the bot, as outlined below.
     :no-undoc-members:
 
     .. autoclass:: APIToken
+
+******************
+Help Functionality
+******************
+
+.. warning::
+
+    The content in this section is provisional and may change
+    without prior notice or warning. Updates to this will be communicated
+    on `this issue <https://github.com/Cog-Creators/Red-DiscordBot/issues/4084>`_
+
+
+.. automodule:: redbot.core.commands.help
+    :members:

redbot/core/bot.py

@@ -208,6 +208,61 @@ class RedBase(
 
         self._deletion_requests: MutableMapping[int, asyncio.Lock] = weakref.WeakValueDictionary()
 
+    def set_help_formatter(self, formatter: commands.help.HelpFormatterABC):
+        """
+        Set's Red's help formatter.
+
+        .. warning::
+            This method is provisional.
+
+
+        The formatter must implement all methods in
+        ``commands.help.HelpFormatterABC``
+
+        Cogs which set a help formatter should inform users of this.
+        Users should not use multiple cogs which set a help formatter.
+
+        This should specifically be an instance of a formatter.
+        This allows cogs to pass a config object or similar to the
+        formatter prior to the bot using it.
+
+        See ``commands.help.HelpFormatterABC`` for more details.
+
+        Raises
+        ------
+        RuntimeError
+            If the default formatter has already been replaced
+        TypeError
+            If given an invalid formatter
+        """
+
+        if not isinstance(formatter, commands.help.HelpFormatterABC):
+            raise TypeError(
+                "Help formatters must inherit from `commands.help.HelpFormatterABC` "
+                "and implement the required interfaces."
+            )
+
+        # do not switch to isinstance, we want to know that this has not been overriden,
+        # even with a subclass.
+        if type(self._help_formatter) is commands.help.RedHelpFormatter:
+            self._help_formatter = formatter
+        else:
+            raise RuntimeError("The formatter has already been overriden.")
+
+    def reset_help_formatter(self):
+        """
+        Resets Red's help formatter.
+
+        .. warning::
+            This method is provisional.
+
+
+        This exists for use in ``cog_unload`` for cogs which replace the formatter
+        as well as for a rescue command in core_commands.
+
+        """
+        self._help_formatter = commands.help.RedHelpFormatter()
+
     def get_command(self, name: str) -> Optional[commands.Command]:
         com = super().get_command(name)
         assert com is None or isinstance(com, commands.Command)
@@ -786,12 +841,18 @@ class RedBase(
         return await super().start(*args, **kwargs)
 
     async def send_help_for(
-        self, ctx: commands.Context, help_for: Union[commands.Command, commands.GroupMixin, str]
+        self,
+        ctx: commands.Context,
+        help_for: Union[commands.Command, commands.GroupMixin, str],
+        *,
+        from_help_command: bool = False,
     ):
         """
         Invokes Red's helpformatter for a given context and object.
         """
-        return await self._help_formatter.send_help(ctx, help_for)
+        return await self._help_formatter.send_help(
+            ctx, help_for, from_help_command=from_help_command
+        )
 
     async def embed_requested(self, channel, user, command=None) -> bool:
         """

redbot/core/commands/help.py

@@ -1,13 +1,10 @@
 # Warning: The implementation below touches several private attributes.
-# While this implementation will be updated, and public interfaces maintained, derived classes
+# While this implementation will be updated, and public interfaces maintained,
-# should not assume these private attributes are version safe, and use the provided HelpSettings
+# derived classes should not assume these private attributes are version safe,
-# class for these settings.
+# and use the provided HelpSettings class for these settings.
 
 # This is a full replacement of discord.py's help command
 #
-# At a later date, there should be things added to support extra formatter
-# registration from 3rd party cogs.
-#
 # This exists due to deficiencies in discord.py which conflict
 # with our needs for per-context help settings
 # see https://github.com/Rapptz/discord.py/issues/2123
@@ -30,8 +27,7 @@
 # Additionally, this gives our users a bit more customization options including by
 # 3rd party cogs down the road.
 
-# Note: 3rd party help must not remove the copyright notice
+import abc
-
 import asyncio
 from collections import namedtuple
 from dataclasses import dataclass
@@ -48,7 +44,7 @@ from ..utils.mod import mass_purge
 from ..utils._internal_utils import fuzzy_command_search, format_fuzzy_results
 from ..utils.chat_formatting import box, pagify
 
-__all__ = ["red_help", "RedHelpFormatter", "HelpSettings"]
+__all__ = ["red_help", "RedHelpFormatter", "HelpSettings", "HelpFormatterABC"]
 
 _ = Translator("Help", __file__)
 
@@ -65,6 +61,11 @@ EMPTY_STRING = "\N{ZERO WIDTH SPACE}"
 class HelpSettings:
     """
     A representation of help settings.
+
+    .. warning::
+
+        This class is provisional.
+
     """
 
     page_char_limit: int = 1000
@@ -78,8 +79,10 @@ class HelpSettings:
 
     # Contrib Note: This is intentional to not accept the bot object
     # There are plans to allow guild and user specific help settings
-    # Adding a non-context based method now would involve a breaking change later.
+    # Adding a non-context based method now would involve a breaking
-    # At a later date, more methods should be exposed for non-context based creation.
+    # change later.
+    # At a later date, more methods should be exposed for
+    # non-context based creation.
     #
     # This is also why we aren't just caching the
     # current state of these settings on the bot object.
@@ -102,23 +105,72 @@ class NoSubCommand(Exception):
         self.not_found = not_found
 
 
-class RedHelpFormatter:
+class HelpFormatterABC(abc.ABC):
+    """
+    Describes the required interface of a help formatter.
+
+    Additional notes for 3rd party developers are included in this class.
+
+    .. note::
+        You may define __init__ however you want
+        (such as to include config),
+        Red will not initialize a formatter for you,
+        and must be passed an initialized formatter.
+
+        If you want to use Red's existing settings, use ``HelpSettings.from_context``
+
+    .. warning::
+
+        This class is documented but provisional with expected changes.
+
+        In the future, this class will receive changes to support
+        invoking the help command without context.
+    """
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    async def send_help(
+        self, ctx: Context, help_for: HelpTarget = None, *, from_help_command: bool = False
+    ):
+        """
+        This is (currently) the only method you must implement.
+
+        This method should handle any and all errors which may arise.
+
+        The types subclasses must handle are defined as ``HelpTarget``
+        """
+        ...
+
+
+class RedHelpFormatter(HelpFormatterABC):
     """
     Red's help implementation
 
     This is intended to be overridable in parts to only change some behavior.
 
-    While currently, there is a global formatter, later plans include a context specific
+    While this exists as a class for easy partial overriding,
-    formatter selector as well as an API for cogs to register/un-register a formatter with the bot.
+    most implementations should not need or want a shared state.
 
-    When implementing your own formatter, at minimum you must provide an implementation of
+    .. warning::
-    `send_help` with identical signature.
 
-    While this exists as a class for easy partial overriding, most implementations
+        This class is documented but may receive changes between
-    should not need or want a shared state.
+        versions without warning as needed.
+        The supported way to modify help is to write a separate formatter.
+
+        The primary reason for this class being documented is to allow
+        the opaque use of the class as a fallback, as any method in base
+        class which is intended for use will be present and implemented here.
+
+    .. note::
+
+        This class may use various internal methods which are not safe to
+        use in third party code.
+        The internal methods used here may change,
+        with this class being updated at the same time.
     """
 
-    async def send_help(self, ctx: Context, help_for: HelpTarget = None):
+    async def send_help(
+        self, ctx: Context, help_for: HelpTarget = None, *, from_help_command: bool = False
+    ):
         """
         This delegates to other functions.
 
@@ -724,4 +776,4 @@ async def red_help(ctx: Context, *, thing_to_get_help_for: str = None):
     (Help) you know I need someone
     (Help!)
     """
-    await ctx.bot.send_help_for(ctx, thing_to_get_help_for)
+    await ctx.bot.send_help_for(ctx, thing_to_get_help_for, from_help_command=True)

redbot/core/core_commands.py

@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ from redbot.core.data_manager import storage_type
 from . import (
     __version__,
     version_info as red_version_info,
-    VersionInfo,
     checks,
     commands,
     errors,
@@ -2080,6 +2079,34 @@ class Core(commands.commands._RuleDropper, commands.Cog, CoreLogic):
         """Manage settings for the help command."""
         pass
 
+    @helpset.command(name="resetformatter")
+    async def helpset_resetformatter(self, ctx: commands.Context):
+        """ This resets [botname]'s help formatter to the default formatter """
+
+        ctx.bot.reset_help_formatter()
+        await ctx.send(
+            _(
+                "The help formatter has been reset. "
+                "This will not prevent cogs from modifying help, "
+                "you may need to remove a cog if this has been an issue."
+            )
+        )
+
+    @helpset.command(name="resetsettings")
+    async def helpset_resetsettings(self, ctx: commands.Context):
+        """
+        This resets [botname]'s help settings to their defaults.
+
+        This may not have an impact when using custom formatters from 3rd party cogs
+        """
+        await ctx.bot._config.help.clear()
+        await ctx.send(
+            _(
+                "The help settings have been reset to their defaults. "
+                "This may not have an impact when using 3rd party help formatters."
+            )
+        )
+
     @helpset.command(name="usemenus")
     async def helpset_usemenus(self, ctx: commands.Context, use_menus: bool = None):
         """