[Python-Dev] properties on modules?

[Neil Schemenauer]

Skip Montanaro wrote:
> I think the question is still open whether or not modules should
> be able to support properties, though I do think the ball is back in his
> court to come up with a less contrived example.

The Quixote web system publishes Python functions by traversing name
spaces.  The publishing code is very roughly:

    def get_object(container, name):
        if hasattr(container, name):
            return getattr(container, name)
        elif isinstance(container, ModuleType):
            mname = container.__name__ + '.' + name
            __import__(mname)
            return sys.modules[mname]
        else:
            raise TraversalError

    def publish(path):
        o = root_namespace
        for component in '/'.split(path[1:]):
            o = get_object(o, component)
        return o()

If you use instances for name spaces then you can use __getattr__ or
properties to lazily create attributes.  It's annoying that there is
nothing like __getattr__/__setattr__ or properties for modules.  

  Neil