Only create a target for object descriptions

CHANGES

@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ Features added
 * #6319: viewcode: Add :confval:`viewcode_line_numbers` to control
   whether line numbers are added to rendered source code.
   Patch by Ben Krikler.
+* #9662: Add the ``:no-typesetting:`` option to suppress textual output
+  and only create a linkable anchor.
+  Patch by Latosha Maltba.
 
 Bugs fixed
 ----------

doc/usage/restructuredtext/domains.rst

@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ can give the directive option flag ``:nocontentsentry:``.
 If you want to typeset an object description, without even making it available
 for cross-referencing, you can give the directive option flag ``:noindex:``
 (which implies ``:noindexentry:``).
+If you do not want to typeset anything, you can give the directive option flag
+``:no-typesetting:``.  This can for example be used to create only a target and
+index entry for later reference.
 Though, note that not every directive in every domain may support these
 options.
 
@@ -65,6 +68,10 @@ options.
    The directive option ``:nocontentsentry:`` in the Python, C, C++, Javascript,
    and reStructuredText domains.
 
+.. versionadded:: 7.2
+   The directive option ``no-typesetting`` in the Python, C, C++, Javascript,
+   and reStructuredText domains.
+
 An example using a Python domain directive::
 
    .. py:function:: spam(eggs)
@@ -91,6 +98,23 @@ you could say ::
 As you can see, both directive and role names contain the domain name and the
 directive name.
 
+The directive option ``:no-typesetting:`` can be used to create a target
+(and index entry) which can later be referenced
+by the roles provided by the domain.
+This is particularly useful for literate programming:
+
+.. code-block:: rst
+
+   .. py:function:: spam(eggs)
+      :no-typesetting:
+
+   .. code::
+
+      def spam(eggs):
+          pass
+
+   The function :py:func:`spam` does nothing.
+
 .. rubric:: Default Domain
 
 For documentation describing objects from solely one domain, authors will not

sphinx/directives/__init__.py

@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ class ObjectDescription(SphinxDirective, Generic[ObjDescT]):
         'noindex': directives.flag,
         'noindexentry': directives.flag,
         'nocontentsentry': directives.flag,
+        'no-typesetting': directives.flag,
     }
 
     # types of doc fields that this directive handles, see sphinx.util.docfields
@@ -218,6 +219,7 @@ def run(self) -> list[Node]:
         node['noindex'] = noindex = ('noindex' in self.options)
         node['noindexentry'] = ('noindexentry' in self.options)
         node['nocontentsentry'] = ('nocontentsentry' in self.options)
+        node['no-typesetting'] = ('no-typesetting' in self.options)
         if self.domain:
             node['classes'].append(self.domain)
         node['classes'].append(node['objtype'])
@@ -270,6 +272,19 @@ def run(self) -> list[Node]:
         DocFieldTransformer(self).transform_all(contentnode)
         self.env.temp_data['object'] = None
         self.after_content()
+
+        if node['no-typesetting']:
+            # Attempt to return the index node, and a new target node
+            # containing all the ids of this node and its children.
+            # If ``:noindex:`` is set, or there are no ids on the node
+            # or any of its children, then just return the index node,
+            # as Docutils expects a target node to have at least one id.
+            if node_ids := [node_id for el in node.findall(nodes.Element)
+                            for node_id in el.get('ids', ())]:
+                target_node = nodes.target(ids=node_ids)
+                self.set_source_info(target_node)
+                return [self.indexnode, target_node]
+            return [self.indexnode]
         return [self.indexnode, node]
 
 

sphinx/domains/c.py

@@ -3166,6 +3166,7 @@ class CObject(ObjectDescription[ASTDeclaration]):
     option_spec: OptionSpec = {
         'noindexentry': directives.flag,
         'nocontentsentry': directives.flag,
+        'no-typesetting': directives.flag,
         'single-line-parameter-list': directives.flag,
     }
 

sphinx/domains/cpp.py

@@ -7214,6 +7214,7 @@ class CPPObject(ObjectDescription[ASTDeclaration]):
     option_spec: OptionSpec = {
         'noindexentry': directives.flag,
         'nocontentsentry': directives.flag,
+        'no-typesetting': directives.flag,
         'tparam-line-spec': directives.flag,
         'single-line-parameter-list': directives.flag,
     }

sphinx/domains/javascript.py

@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ class JSObject(ObjectDescription[tuple[str, str]]):
         'noindex': directives.flag,
         'noindexentry': directives.flag,
         'nocontentsentry': directives.flag,
+        'no-typesetting': directives.flag,
         'single-line-parameter-list': directives.flag,
     }
 
@@ -293,6 +294,7 @@ class JSModule(SphinxDirective):
     option_spec: OptionSpec = {
         'noindex': directives.flag,
         'nocontentsentry': directives.flag,
+        'no-typesetting': directives.flag,
     }
 
     def run(self) -> list[Node]:
@@ -316,12 +318,13 @@ def run(self) -> list[Node]:
             domain.note_object(mod_name, 'module', node_id,
                                location=(self.env.docname, self.lineno))
 
-            target = nodes.target('', '', ids=[node_id], ismod=True)
-            self.state.document.note_explicit_target(target)
-            ret.append(target)
+            # The node order is: index node first, then target node
             indextext = _('%s (module)') % mod_name
             inode = addnodes.index(entries=[('single', indextext, node_id, '', None)])
             ret.append(inode)
+            target = nodes.target('', '', ids=[node_id], ismod=True)
+            self.state.document.note_explicit_target(target)
+            ret.append(target)
         ret.extend(content_node.children)
         return ret
 

sphinx/domains/python.py

@@ -662,6 +662,7 @@ class PyObject(ObjectDescription[tuple[str, str]]):
         'noindex': directives.flag,
         'noindexentry': directives.flag,
         'nocontentsentry': directives.flag,
+        'no-typesetting': directives.flag,
         'single-line-parameter-list': directives.flag,
         'single-line-type-parameter-list': directives.flag,
         'module': directives.unchanged,
@@ -1262,6 +1263,7 @@ class PyModule(SphinxDirective):
         'synopsis': lambda x: x,
         'noindex': directives.flag,
         'nocontentsentry': directives.flag,
+        'no-typesetting': directives.flag,
         'deprecated': directives.flag,
     }
 
@@ -1294,10 +1296,11 @@ def run(self) -> list[Node]:
 
             # the platform and synopsis aren't printed; in fact, they are only
             # used in the modindex currently
-            ret.append(target)
             indextext = f'module; {modname}'
             inode = addnodes.index(entries=[('pair', indextext, node_id, '', None)])
+            # The node order is: index node first, then target node.
             ret.append(inode)
+            ret.append(target)
         ret.extend(content_node.children)
         return ret
 

sphinx/domains/rst.py

@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ class ReSTMarkup(ObjectDescription[str]):
         'noindex': directives.flag,
         'noindexentry': directives.flag,
         'nocontentsentry': directives.flag,
+        'no-typesetting': directives.flag,
     }
 
     def add_target_and_index(self, name: str, sig: str, signode: desc_signature) -> None:

sphinx/transforms/__init__.py

@@ -414,6 +414,77 @@ def apply(self, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
                 )
 
 
+class ReorderConsecutiveTargetAndIndexNodes(SphinxTransform):
+    """Index nodes interspersed between target nodes prevent other
+    Transformations from combining those target nodes,
+    e.g. ``PropagateTargets``.  This transformation reorders them:
+
+    Given the following ``document`` as input::
+
+        <document>
+            <target ids="id1" ...>
+            <index entries="...1...">
+            <target ids="id2" ...>
+            <target ids="id3" ...>
+            <index entries="...2...">
+            <target ids="id4" ...>
+
+    The transformed result will be::
+
+        <document>
+            <index entries="...1...">
+            <index entries="...2...">
+            <target ids="id1" ...>
+            <target ids="id2" ...>
+            <target ids="id3" ...>
+            <target ids="id4" ...>
+    """
+
+    # This transform MUST run before ``PropagateTargets``.
+    default_priority = 220
+
+    def apply(self, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
+        for target in self.document.findall(nodes.target):
+            _reorder_index_target_nodes(target)
+
+
+def _reorder_index_target_nodes(start_node: nodes.target) -> None:
+    """Sort target and index nodes.
+
+    Find all consecutive target and index nodes starting from ``start_node``,
+    and move all index nodes to before the first target node.
+    """
+    nodes_to_reorder: list[nodes.target | addnodes.index] = []
+
+    # Note that we cannot use 'condition' to filter,
+    # as we want *consecutive* target & index nodes.
+    node: nodes.Node
+    for node in start_node.findall(descend=False, siblings=True):
+        if isinstance(node, (nodes.target, addnodes.index)):
+            nodes_to_reorder.append(node)
+            continue
+        break  # must be a consecutive run of target or index nodes
+
+    if len(nodes_to_reorder) < 2:
+        return  # Nothing to reorder
+
+    parent = nodes_to_reorder[0].parent
+    if parent == nodes_to_reorder[-1].parent:
+        first_idx = parent.index(nodes_to_reorder[0])
+        last_idx = parent.index(nodes_to_reorder[-1])
+        if first_idx + len(nodes_to_reorder) - 1 == last_idx:
+            parent[first_idx:last_idx + 1] = sorted(nodes_to_reorder, key=_sort_key)
+
+
+def _sort_key(node: nodes.Node) -> int:
+    # Must be a stable sort.
+    if isinstance(node, addnodes.index):
+        return 0
+    if isinstance(node, nodes.target):
+        return 1
+    raise ValueError(f'_sort_key called with unexpected node type {type(node)!r}')
+
+
 def setup(app: Sphinx) -> dict[str, Any]:
     app.add_transform(ApplySourceWorkaround)
     app.add_transform(ExtraTranslatableNodes)
@@ -430,6 +501,7 @@ def setup(app: Sphinx) -> dict[str, Any]:
     app.add_transform(DoctreeReadEvent)
     app.add_transform(ManpageLink)
     app.add_transform(GlossarySorter)
+    app.add_transform(ReorderConsecutiveTargetAndIndexNodes)
 
     return {
         'version': 'builtin',

tests/test_directives_no_typesetting.py

@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+"""Tests the directives"""
+
+import pytest
+from docutils import nodes
+
+from sphinx import addnodes
+from sphinx.testing import restructuredtext
+from sphinx.testing.util import assert_node
+
+DOMAINS = [
+    # directive, noindex, noindexentry, signature of f, signature of g, index entry of g
+    ('c:function', False, True, 'void f()', 'void g()', ('single', 'g (C function)', 'c.g', '', None)),
+    ('cpp:function', False, True, 'void f()', 'void g()', ('single', 'g (C++ function)', '_CPPv41gv', '', None)),
+    ('js:function', True, True, 'f()', 'g()', ('single', 'g() (built-in function)', 'g', '', None)),
+    ('py:function', True, True, 'f()', 'g()', ('pair', 'built-in function; g()', 'g', '', None)),
+    ('rst:directive', True, False, 'f', 'g', ('single', 'g (directive)', 'directive-g', '', None)),
+    ('cmdoption', True, False, 'f', 'g', ('pair', 'command line option; g', 'cmdoption-arg-g', '', None)),
+    ('envvar', True, False, 'f', 'g', ('single', 'environment variable; g', 'envvar-g', '', None)),
+]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(('directive', 'noindex', 'noindexentry', 'sig_f', 'sig_g', 'index_g'),  DOMAINS)
+def test_object_description_no_typesetting(app, directive, noindex, noindexentry, sig_f, sig_g, index_g):
+    text = (f'.. {directive}:: {sig_f}\n'
+            f'   :no-typesetting:\n')
+    doctree = restructuredtext.parse(app, text)
+    assert_node(doctree, (addnodes.index, nodes.target))
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(('directive', 'noindex', 'noindexentry', 'sig_f', 'sig_g', 'index_g'), DOMAINS)
+def test_object_description_no_typesetting_twice(app, directive, noindex, noindexentry, sig_f, sig_g, index_g):
+    text = (f'.. {directive}:: {sig_f}\n'
+            f'   :no-typesetting:\n'
+            f'.. {directive}:: {sig_g}\n'
+            f'   :no-typesetting:\n')
+    doctree = restructuredtext.parse(app, text)
+    # Note that all index nodes come before the target nodes
+    assert_node(doctree, (addnodes.index, addnodes.index, nodes.target, nodes.target))
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(('directive', 'noindex', 'noindexentry', 'sig_f', 'sig_g', 'index_g'), DOMAINS)
+def test_object_description_no_typesetting_noindex_orig(app, directive, noindex, noindexentry, sig_f, sig_g, index_g):
+    if not noindex:
+        pytest.skip(f'{directive} does not support :noindex: option')
+    text = (f'.. {directive}:: {sig_f}\n'
+            f'   :noindex:\n'
+            f'.. {directive}:: {sig_g}\n')
+    doctree = restructuredtext.parse(app, text)
+    assert_node(doctree, (addnodes.index, addnodes.desc, addnodes.index, addnodes.desc))
+    assert_node(doctree[2], addnodes.index, entries=[index_g])
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(('directive', 'noindex', 'noindexentry', 'sig_f', 'sig_g', 'index_g'), DOMAINS)
+def test_object_description_no_typesetting_noindex(app, directive, noindex, noindexentry, sig_f, sig_g, index_g):
+    if not noindex:
+        pytest.skip(f'{directive} does not support :noindex: option')
+    text = (f'.. {directive}:: {sig_f}\n'
+            f'   :noindex:\n'
+            f'   :no-typesetting:\n'
+            f'.. {directive}:: {sig_g}\n'
+            f'   :no-typesetting:\n')
+    doctree = restructuredtext.parse(app, text)
+    assert_node(doctree, (addnodes.index, addnodes.index, nodes.target))
+    assert_node(doctree[0], addnodes.index, entries=[])
+    assert_node(doctree[1], addnodes.index, entries=[index_g])
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(('directive', 'noindex', 'noindexentry', 'sig_f', 'sig_g', 'index_g'), DOMAINS)
+def test_object_description_no_typesetting_noindexentry(app, directive, noindex, noindexentry, sig_f, sig_g, index_g):
+    if not noindexentry:
+        pytest.skip(f'{directive} does not support :noindexentry: option')
+    text = (f'.. {directive}:: {sig_f}\n'
+            f'   :noindexentry:\n'
+            f'   :no-typesetting:\n'
+            f'.. {directive}:: {sig_g}\n'
+            f'   :no-typesetting:\n')
+    doctree = restructuredtext.parse(app, text)
+    assert_node(doctree, (addnodes.index, addnodes.index, nodes.target, nodes.target))
+    assert_node(doctree[0], addnodes.index, entries=[])
+    assert_node(doctree[1], addnodes.index, entries=[index_g])
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(('directive', 'noindex', 'noindexentry', 'sig_f', 'sig_g', 'index_g'), DOMAINS)
+def test_object_description_no_typesetting_code(app, directive, noindex, noindexentry, sig_f, sig_g, index_g):
+    text = (f'.. {directive}:: {sig_f}\n'
+            f'   :no-typesetting:\n'
+            f'.. {directive}:: {sig_g}\n'
+            f'   :no-typesetting:\n'
+            f'.. code::\n'
+            f'\n'
+            f'   code\n')
+    doctree = restructuredtext.parse(app, text)
+    # Note that all index nodes come before the targets
+    assert_node(doctree, (addnodes.index, addnodes.index, nodes.target, nodes.target, nodes.literal_block))
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(('directive', 'noindex', 'noindexentry', 'sig_f', 'sig_g', 'index_g'), DOMAINS)
+def test_object_description_no_typesetting_heading(app, directive, noindex, noindexentry, sig_f, sig_g, index_g):
+    text = (f'.. {directive}:: {sig_f}\n'
+            f'   :no-typesetting:\n'
+            f'.. {directive}:: {sig_g}\n'
+            f'   :no-typesetting:\n'
+            f'\n'
+            f'Heading\n'
+            f'=======\n')
+    doctree = restructuredtext.parse(app, text)
+    # Note that all index nodes come before the targets and the heading is floated before those.
+    assert_node(doctree, (nodes.title, addnodes.index, addnodes.index, nodes.target, nodes.target))

tests/test_domain_js.py

@@ -177,11 +177,11 @@ def test_get_full_qualified_name():
 def test_js_module(app):
     text = ".. js:module:: sphinx"
     doctree = restructuredtext.parse(app, text)
-    assert_node(doctree, (nodes.target,
-                          addnodes.index))
-    assert_node(doctree[0], nodes.target, ids=["module-sphinx"])
-    assert_node(doctree[1], addnodes.index,
+    assert_node(doctree, (addnodes.index,
+                          nodes.target))
+    assert_node(doctree[0], addnodes.index,
                 entries=[("single", "sphinx (module)", "module-sphinx", "", None)])
+    assert_node(doctree[1], nodes.target, ids=["module-sphinx"])
 
 
 def test_js_function(app):