[Texas] Trouble with one of the Koans

[Alex Robbins]

I think the basic idea here is that you can define a __setattr__
method on your object, which is later used by python for assignments.

The __setattr__ method gives you more control over assignment into
your object. This __setattr__ basically says:

If the attr_name the user is trying to assign to ends with comic, then
prepend my_ to the attribute name.
If the attr_name the user is trying to assign to ends with pie, then
prepend a_ to the attribute name.
Then assign the provided value to the newly computer attribute name.

instance = PossessiveSetter()
instance.comic = 'Texas'

At this point, if I lookup instance.comic, nothing is there. The
__setattr__ method intercepted my assignment and put it into my_comic.

instance.my_comic == 'Texas'
True


Does that make any more sense than the koan?
Alex

On Fri, Sep 3, 2010 at 9:57 AM, Mark Sharp <msharp at sfbr.org> wrote:
> In the about_attribute_access.py of the Python 3.1 koans, the following
> class is defined. Although I can get the tests to pass, I am missing the
> point.
>
> Do you know of any discussion of the koans? I have not located one.
> Alternatively can you direct me to someone that would be willing to explain
> what this class is teaching?
>
> Mark
>
>    class PossessiveSetter(object):
>        def __setattr__(self, attr_name, value):
>            new_attr_name =  attr_name
>
>            if attr_name[-5:] == 'comic':
>                new_attr_name = "my_" + new_attr_name
>            elif attr_name[-3:] == 'pie':
>                new_attr_name = "a_" + new_attr_name
>
>            object.__setattr__(self, new_attr_name, value)
>
>    def test_setattr_intercepts_attribute_assignments(self):
>        fanboy = self.PossessiveSetter()
>
>        fanboy.comic = 'The Laminator, issue #1'
>        fanboy.pie = 'blueberry'
>
>        self.assertEqual(__, fanboy.a_pie)
>
>        prefix = '__'
>        self.assertEqual("The Laminator, issue #1", getattr(fanboy, prefix +
> '_comic'))
>
>
>
> R. Mark Sharp, Ph.D.
> Director of Primate Records Database
> Southwest National Primate Research Center
> Southwest Foundation for
> Biomedical Research
> P.O. Box 760549
> San Antonio, TX 78245-0549
> Telephone: (210)258-9476
> e-mail: msharp at sfbr.org
>
>
>
>
>
>
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