Ren'Py Documentation Hover

VS Code / Cursor extension for .rpy / .rpym files: hovers show your docstrings when present, plus optional excerpts and links from the official Ren'Py manual for engine symbols.

Licensed under the MIT License. Release history: CHANGELOG.

Building and installing

1. Install dependencies: npm install
2. Compile: npm run compile
3. Regenerate the bundled API index (optional, after Ren'Py doc changes): npm run generate-index
4. Press F5 in VS Code with this folder open (Run Extension), or package a .vsix with @vscode/vsce if you use it.

Writing docstrings the extension will find

Put the docstring directly under the definition, with only blank lines or a lone pass / ... / breakpoint() between them (those are skipped so the docstring can still be detected).

Python blocks (""" or ''')

Use normal triple-quoted strings, optionally with r / u prefixes:

def add_event(self, *events):
    """
    Adds events to storage.
    """

class MyScreen:
    '''Short class doc.'''

Ren'Py script (outside python: blocks)

If the block is commented with #, you can document it like this:

• Start with # """ (or # '''), use # on continuation lines if you like, and close with """ on its own line (with or without # on that line), or
• Use several consecutive # lines as a plain comment doc block (no triple quotes).

The extension strips leading # for display.

What counts as a “definition”

The scanner looks for these forms (indentation and same-line decorators like @staticmethod are supported in the usual Python way):

Hover resolves the symbol under the cursor to the latest matching definition on or above that line (so headers and bodies both work).

Docstring conventions (formatting in hovers)

The extension turns your text into Markdown for the hover panel. These styles are recognized:

Section titles (Google / NumPy–style)

Standalone lines such as:

Args:, Arguments:, Parameters:, Returns:, Yields:, Raises:, Note / Notes:, Warning:, Example / Examples:, Attributes:, See Also:

are turned into bold headings (e.g. Parameters:).

Epydoc-style tags

Inline code

• Double backticks (reST style): code → `code`
• Ordinary single backticks work as usual in Markdown.

Doctest lines

Lines starting with >>> or ... are wrapped in a text code fence for readability.

Cross-referencing other code

Sphinx-style roles (recommended for cross-refs)

Use backticks and a role name. When the name can be resolved to a workspace definition (.rpy / .rpym), the extension turns it into a clickable link in hovers and completion details (a command: link handled by this extension, not a raw file: URL — those often show up as plain text in the hover UI). Ctrl+click / Cmd+click the link to open the file and move the cursor to the matching definition line. The small italic suffix (class, function, …) is the Sphinx role. If there is no matching target, the name stays as inline code with a role hint only.

Workspace index: The extension scans all *.rpy / *.rpym files in the workspace (excluding node_modules, .git, and common virtualenv folders) and keeps an in-memory index. Opening or saving a file updates that file’s slice of the index; deleting a file removes it.

Disambiguating duplicate names: If the same simple name appears more than once in the workspace (e.g. two add_event methods), use a qualified name built from the enclosing class chain, like Sphinx’s dotted form:

If a simple name is unique workspace-wide, it still resolves without the prefix. If it is ambiguous (multiple matches), the link is not created until you qualify it.

You can also use the Sphinx “display” form (only the part before < is used for matching):

:class:`MyClass <MyClass>`

Examples:

def push_screen(self):
    """
    See :class:`MyOverlay` and :func:`restore_screen` for pairing calls.
    Opens the screen defined in :meth:`FragmentStorage.add_event`.
    """

Labels (label foo / label chapter.start)

For label a.b, you can reference the full name or often the last segment (b), depending on how the label was stored.

Markdown links

Normal Markdown links [text](https://github.com/SuitIThub/RenPy-IntelliSense/blob/HEAD/url) are left as-is, so you can link to the Ren'Py manual or your own docs.

Ren'Py engine symbols

Built-ins (renpy.music.play, Character, screen actions, etc.) are covered by the bundled index and online hover when enabled—not by local :func: roles.

Settings (renpyDocHover.*)

Limitations

• Cross-refs use the workspace index; symbols in unsaved buffers in other files may be stale until those files are saved (the current file always uses the editor buffer).
• Very complex same-line decorators (nested parentheses) may not be detected; put decorators on previous lines.
• Docstring extraction follows Python/Ren'Py text structure; invalid indentation may confuse detection.

If something is wrong with hovers, check that the file is .rpy / .rpym and that the cursor is on the symbol you expect (including on the def / class line for that symbol).