Improve documentation for assertions (#16988)

* Improve documentation for assertions

* Apply suggestions

Fix tests/assert/tassert_c.nim

* Use runnableExamples

* Move runnableExamples to module scope

1 files changed, 51 insertions, 35 deletions

diff --git a/lib/system/assertions.nim b/lib/system/assertions.nim
index 4c25d2a56..b30b2e26d 100644
--- a/lib/system/assertions.nim
+++ b/lib/system/assertions.nim
@@ -1,3 +1,37 @@
+## This module provides various assertion utilities.
+##
+## **Note:** This module is reexported by `system` and thus does not need to be
+## imported directly (with `system/assertions`).
+
+runnableExamples:
+  # assert
+  assert 1 == 1
+
+  # onFailedAssert
+  block:
+    type MyError = object of CatchableError
+      lineinfo: tuple[filename: string, line: int, column: int]
+
+    # block-wide policy to change the failed assert
+    # exception type in order to include a lineinfo
+    onFailedAssert(msg):
+      var e = new(MyError)
+      e.msg = msg
+      e.lineinfo = instantiationInfo(-2)
+      raise e
+
+  # doAssert
+  doAssert 1 == 1 # generates code even when built with `-d:danger` or `--assertions:off`
+
+  # doAssertRaises
+  doAssertRaises(ValueError):
+    raise newException(ValueError, "Hello World")
+
+runnableExamples("--assertions:off"):
+  assert 1 == 2 # no code generated
+
+# xxx pending bug #16993: move runnableExamples to respective templates
+
 when not declared(sysFatal):
   include "system/fatal"
 
@@ -12,7 +46,7 @@ proc `$`(info: InstantiationInfo): string =
   # The +1 is needed here
   # instead of overriding `$` (and changing its meaning), consider explicit name.
   result = ""
-  result.toLocation(info.filename, info.line, info.column+1)
+  result.toLocation(info.filename, info.line, info.column + 1)
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -20,13 +54,17 @@ when not defined(nimHasSinkInference):
   {.pragma: nosinks.}
 
 proc raiseAssert*(msg: string) {.noinline, noreturn, nosinks.} =
+  ## Raises an `AssertionDefect` with `msg`.
   sysFatal(AssertionDefect, msg)
 
 proc failedAssertImpl*(msg: string) {.raises: [], tags: [].} =
-  # trick the compiler to not list ``AssertionDefect`` when called
-  # by ``assert``.
-  type Hide = proc (msg: string) {.noinline, raises: [], noSideEffect,
-                                    tags: [].}
+  ## Raises an `AssertionDefect` with `msg`, but this is hidden
+  ## from the effect system. Called when an assertion failed.
+  # trick the compiler to not list `AssertionDefect` when called
+  # by `assert`.
+  # xxx simplify this pending bootstrap >= 1.4.0, after which cast not needed
+  # anymore since `Defect` can't be raised.
+  type Hide = proc (msg: string) {.noinline, raises: [], noSideEffect, tags: [].}
   cast[Hide](raiseAssert)(msg)
 
 template assertImpl(cond: bool, msg: string, expr: string, enabled: static[bool]) =
@@ -41,52 +79,30 @@ template assertImpl(cond: bool, msg: string, expr: string, enabled: static[bool]
         failedAssertImpl(ploc & " `" & expr & "` " & msg)
 
 template assert*(cond: untyped, msg = "") =
-  ## Raises ``AssertionDefect`` with `msg` if `cond` is false. Note
-  ## that ``AssertionDefect`` is hidden from the effect system, so it doesn't
-  ## produce ``{.raises: [AssertionDefect].}``. This exception is only supposed
+  ## Raises `AssertionDefect` with `msg` if `cond` is false. Note
+  ## that `AssertionDefect` is hidden from the effect system, so it doesn't
+  ## produce `{.raises: [AssertionDefect].}`. This exception is only supposed
   ## to be caught by unit testing frameworks.
   ##
-  ## The compiler may not generate any code at all for ``assert`` if it is
-  ## advised to do so through the ``-d:danger`` or ``--assertions:off``
-  ## `command line switches <nimc.html#compiler-usage-commandminusline-switches>`_.
-  ##
-  ## .. code-block:: nim
-  ##   static: assert 1 == 9, "This assertion generates code when not built with -d:danger or --assertions:off"
+  ## No code will be generated for `assert` when passing `-d:danger` (implied by `--assertions:off`).
+  ## See `command line switches <nimc.html#compiler-usage-commandminusline-switches>`_.
   const expr = astToStr(cond)
   assertImpl(cond, msg, expr, compileOption("assertions"))
 
 template doAssert*(cond: untyped, msg = "") =
-  ## Similar to ``assert`` but is always turned on regardless of ``--assertions``.
-  ##
-  ## .. code-block:: nim
-  ##   static: doAssert 1 == 9, "This assertion generates code when built with/without -d:danger or --assertions:off"
+  ## Similar to `assert <#assert.t,untyped,string>`_ but is always turned on regardless of `--assertions`.
   const expr = astToStr(cond)
   assertImpl(cond, msg, expr, true)
 
 template onFailedAssert*(msg, code: untyped): untyped {.dirty.} =
   ## Sets an assertion failure handler that will intercept any assert
-  ## statements following `onFailedAssert` in the current module scope.
-  ##
-  ## .. code-block:: nim
-  ##  # module-wide policy to change the failed assert
-  ##  # exception type in order to include a lineinfo
-  ##  onFailedAssert(msg):
-  ##    var e = new(TMyError)
-  ##    e.msg = msg
-  ##    e.lineinfo = instantiationInfo(-2)
-  ##    raise e
-  ##
+  ## statements following `onFailedAssert` in the current scope.
   template failedAssertImpl(msgIMPL: string): untyped {.dirty.} =
     let msg = msgIMPL
     code
 
 template doAssertRaises*(exception: typedesc, code: untyped) =
-  ## Raises ``AssertionDefect`` if specified ``code`` does not raise `exception`.
-  ## Example:
-  ##
-  ## .. code-block:: nim
-  ##  doAssertRaises(ValueError):
-  ##    raise newException(ValueError, "Hello World")
+  ## Raises `AssertionDefect` if specified `code` does not raise `exception`.
   var wrong = false
   const begin = "expected raising '" & astToStr(exception) & "', instead"
   const msgEnd = " by: " & astToStr(code)