[Python-Dev] Getting values stored inside sets

[Paul Moore]

2009/4/3 R. David Murray <rdmurray at bitdance.com>:
> a == b
>
> So, python calls a.__eq__(b)
>
> Now, that function does:
>
> a.key == b
>
> Since b is an object with an __eq__ method, python calls
> b.__eq__(a.key).

That's the bit I can't actually find documented anywhere.

Ah, looking again I see that I misread the section describing the rich
comparison methods:

"""
There are no swapped-argument versions of these methods (to be used
when the left argument does not support the operation but the right
argument does); rather, __lt__() and __gt__() are each other’s
reflection, __le__() and __ge__() are each other’s reflection, and
__eq__() and __ne__() are their own reflection.
"""

I read that as meaning that no "reversed" version was called, whereas
it actually means that __eq__ is its own reversed version - and so
gets called both times.

Thanks for helping me clear that up!

Paul.