[Python-Dev] PEP for adding an sq_index slot so that any object, a or b, can be used in X[a:b] notation

[Thomas Wouters]

On Thu, Feb 09, 2006 at 02:32:47PM -0800, Brett Cannon wrote:
> Looks good to me.  Only change I might make is mention why __int__
> doesn't work sooner (such as in the rationale).  Otherwise +1 from me.

I have a slight reservation about the name. On the one hand it's clear the
canonical use will be for indexing sequences, and __index__ doesn't look
enough like __int__ to get people confused on the difference. On the other
hand, there are other places (in C) that want an actual int, and they could
use __index__ too. Even more so if a PyArg_Parse* grew a format for 'the
index-value for this object' ;)

On the *other* one hand, I can't think of a good name... but on the other
other hand, it would be awkward to have to support an old name just because
the real use wasn't envisioned yet.

One-time-machine-for-the-shortsighted-quadrumanus-please-ly y'r,s
-- 
Thomas Wouters <thomas at xs4all.net>

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