[issue17003] Unification of read() and readline() argument names
New submission from Serhiy Storchaka:
read() and readline() optional parameter which limit the amount of read data has different names in different classes. All this classes mimic (less or more) io classes. Keyword parameter name is a part of method specification. Therefore it will be good made all read() arguments names the same and all readline() arguments names the same (and be consistent with documentation and C implementation). At least we should choose most consistent name for new implementations. If existent C implementation of some method doesn't support keyword argument (all _io classes) or argument names in C and Python implementations are different then we are free to change this name without breaking existing code.
For example, read()'s parameter named as:
"n" in _pyio, zipfile, and io documentation; "size" in gzip, bz2, imaplib, tarfile, codecs, mailbox; "len" in ssl; "wtd" or "totalwtd" in binhex; "amt" in http/client; "chars" in codecs; "buffersize" in os.
readline()'s parameter named as:
"limit" in _pyio, zipfile, and io documentation; "size" in gzip, bz2, codecs, mailbox, lzma.
---------- assignee: docs@python components: Documentation, IO, Library (Lib) messages: 180298 nosy: benjamin.peterson, christian.heimes, docs@python, hynek, pitrou, serhiy.storchaka, stutzbach priority: normal severity: normal status: open title: Unification of read() and readline() argument names type: enhancement
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Serhiy Storchaka added the comment:
Looks as size is most common parameter name for both read() and readline(). First, we can change the io documentation and _pyio signatures (it shouldn't break anything because _io doesn't support keyword arguments).
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Antoine Pitrou added the comment:
"n" is the best choice IMO. "size" is ok too, although it may be confused with the byte-size of the result.
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Serhiy Storchaka added the comment:
Here is a patch which changes name of optional parameter of read(), read1(), peek(), and readline() methods to most common name "size" in the documentation and _pyio module. truncate() in _pyio fixed to conform with documentation. This changes are safe.
There is open question about readlines(). It's optional parameter named as:
"hint" in _pyio and the documentation; "size" in bz2; "sizehint" in codecs and mailbox.
---------- keywords: +patch stage: -> patch review Added file: http://bugs.python.org/file28798/io_parameter_names.patch
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Serhiy Storchaka added the comment:
"n" is the best choice IMO.
Unfortunately most stdlib modules vote for "size".
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Changes by Tshepang Lekhonkhobe tshepang@gmail.com:
---------- nosy: +tshepang
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Serhiy Storchaka added the comment:
Are there any objections to the patch?
---------- assignee: docs@python -> serhiy.storchaka versions: +Python 3.4
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Roundup Robot added the comment:
New changeset 46c1c2b34e2b by Serhiy Storchaka in branch 'default': Issue #17003: Unified the size argument names in the io module with common http://hg.python.org/cpython/rev/46c1c2b34e2b
---------- nosy: +python-dev
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Martin Panter added the comment:
Is there anything left for this bug or could it be closed? I can confirm my v3.4.2 docs say “size” instead of “n” :)
---------- nosy: +vadmium
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Serhiy Storchaka added the comment:
readlines() parameter name is not unified still (it can be "hint", "size", "sizehint"). There is no obvious winner.
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Changes by Serhiy Storchaka storchaka+cpython@gmail.com:
---------- resolution: -> fixed stage: patch review -> resolved status: open -> closed
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participants (5)
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Antoine Pitrou -
Martin Panter
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Roundup Robot
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Serhiy Storchaka
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Tshepang Lekhonkhobe