[Python-Dev] quick poll: could int, str, tuple etc. become type objects?
Guido van Rossum
guido@digicool.com
Tue, 05 Jun 2001 15:56:05 -0400
> >>>>> "GvR" == Guido van Rossum <guido@digicool.com> writes:
>
> >> I'm a little concerned about this, since the names that would
> >> be added are probably in common use as variable and/or argument
> >> names. I.e. At one point `list' was a very common identifier
> >> in Mailman, and I'm sure `dict' is used quite often still. I
> >> guess this would be okay as long as working code doesn't break
> >> because of it.
>
> GvR> It would be hard to see how this would break code, since
> GvR> built-ins are searched *after* all variables that the user
> GvR> defines.
>
> Wasn't there talk about issuing warnings for locals shadowing
> built-ins (or was that globals?). If not, fergitaboutit. If so, that
> would fall under the category of "breaking".
>
> -Barry
You may be thinking of this:
>>> def f(int):
def g(): int
<stdin>:1: SyntaxWarning: local name 'int' in 'f' shadows use of
'int' as global in nested scope 'g'
>>>
This warns you when you override a built-in or global *and* you use
that same name in a nested function. This code will mean something
different in 2.2 anyway (g's reference to int will become a reference
to f's int because of nested scopes).
But this does not cause a warning:
>>> def g():
int = 12
>>>
Nor does this:
>>> int = 12
>>>
So we're safe.
--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)