[Python-Dev] 2.4a2, and @decorators

[Guido van Rossum]

> The one thing I do dislike about the new addition is the arbitrary (?) 
> restriction on expression allowed in a decorator. From Grammar..
>    decorator: '@' dotted_name [ '(' [arglist] ')' ]
> That seems quite odd to me. Is there some reason it couldn't be:
>    decorator: '@' test
> ?

The first patch on SF actually had '@' test, and I requested that it
be changed.  Most things that are 'test' but not 'dotted_name'
optionally followed by an argument list don't make sense as
decorators; if you really have a need to write

    @ foo or bar
    def f(): ...

you can write

    deco = foo or bar
    @deco
    def f(): ...

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)