[Python-Dev] python-dev summary for 2006-08-01 to 2006-08-15

Steven Bethard steven.bethard at gmail.com
Tue Sep 26 06:04:37 CEST 2006 

Sorry about the delay.  Here's the summary for the first half of
August.  As always, comments and corrections are greatly appreciated.


=========
Summaries
=========

--------------------------------
Mixing str and unicode dict keys
--------------------------------

Ralf Schmitt noted that in Python head, inserting str and unicode keys
to the same dictionary would sometimes raise UnicodeDecodeErrors::

    >>> d = {}
    >>> d[u'm\xe1s'] = 1
    >>> d['m\xe1s'] = 1
    Traceback (most recent call last):
      ...
    UnicodeDecodeError: 'ascii' codec can't decode byte 0xe1 in
position 1: ordinal not in range(128)

This error showed up as a result of Armin Rigo's `patch to stop dict
lookup from hiding exceptions`_, which meant that the
UnicodeDecodeError raised when a str object is compared to a non-ASCII
unicode object was no longer silenced.  In the end, people agreed that
UnicodeDecodeError should not be raised for equality comparisons, and
in general, ``__eq__()`` methods should not raise exceptions. But
comparing str and unicode objects is often a programming error, so in
addition to just returning False, equality comparisons on str and
non-ASCII unicode now issues a warning with the UnicodeDecodeError
message.

.. _patch to stop dict lookup from hiding exceptions:
http://bugs.python.org/1497053

Contributing threads:

- `unicode hell/mixing str and unicode as dictionary keys
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067926.html>`__
- `Dicts are broken Was: unicode hell/mixing str and unicode
asdictionarykeys
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067978.html>`__
- `Dicts are broken ...
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067992.html>`__
- `Dict suppressing exceptions
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068090.html>`__

-----------------------
Rounding floats to ints
-----------------------

Bob Ippolito pointed out a long-standing bug in the struct module
where floats were automatically converted to ints. Michael Urman
showed a simple case that would provoke an exception if the bug were
fixed::

    pack('>H', round(value * 32768))

The source of this bug is the expectation that ``round()`` returns an
int, when it actually returns a float.  There was then some discussion
about splitting the round functionality into two functions:
``__builtin__.round()`` which would round floats to ints, and
``math.round()`` which would round floats to floats.  There was also
some discussion about the optional argument to ``round()`` which
currently specifies the number of decimal places to round to -- a
number of folks felt that it was a mistake to round to *decimal*
places when a float can only truly reflect *binary* places.

In the end, there were no definite conclusions about the future of
``round()``, but it seemed like the discussion might be resumed on the
Python 3000 list.

Contributing threads:

- `struct module and coercing floats to integers
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-July/067798.html>`__
- `Rounding float to int directly (Re: struct module and coercing
floats to integers)
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-July/067819.html>`__
- `Rounding float to int directly (Re: struct module and coercing
floats to integers)
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067867.html>`__
- `Rounding float to int directly ...
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067873.html>`__
- `struct module and coercing floats to integers
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067911.html>`__

---------------------------
Assigning to function calls
---------------------------

Neal Becker proposed that code by ``X() += 2`` be allowed so that you
could call __iadd__ on objects immediately after creation. People
pointed out that allowing augmented *assignment* is misleading when no
assignment can occur, and it would be better just to call the method
directly, e.g. ``X().__iadd__(2)``.

Contributing threads:

- `SyntaxError: can't assign to function call
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068081.html>`__
- `Split augmented assignment into two operator sets? [Re:
SyntaxError: can't assign to function call]
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068148.html>`__

---------------------------------------
PEP 357: Integer clipping and __index__
---------------------------------------

After some further discussion on the `__index__ issue`_ of last
fortnight, Travis E. Oliphant proposed `a patch for __index__`_ that
introduced three new C API functions:

* PyIndex_Check(obj) -- checks for nb_index
* PyObject* PyNumber_Index(obj) -- calls nb_index if possible or
raises a TypeError
* Py_ssize_t PyNumber_AsSsize_t(obj, err) -- converts the object to a
Py_ssize_t, raising err on overflow

After a few minor edits, this patch was checked in.

.. __index__ issue:
http://www.python.org/dev/summary/2006-07-16_2006-07-31/#pep-357-integer-clipping-and-index
.. a patch for __index__: http://bugs.python.org/1538606

Contributing threads:

- `Bad interaction of __index__ and sequence repeat
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067870.html>`__
- `__index__ clipping
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068091.html>`__
- `Fwd: [Python-checkins] r51236 - in python/trunk:
Doc/api/abstract.tex Include/abstract.h Include/object.h
Lib/test/test_index.py Misc/NEWS Modules/arraymodule.c
Modules/mmapmodule.c Modules/operator.c Objects/abstract.c
Objects/classobject.c Objects/
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068204.html>`__
- `Fwd: [Python-checkins] r51236 - in python/trunk:
Doc/api/abstract.tex Include/abstract.h Include/object.h
Lib/test/test_index.py Misc/NEWS Modules/arraymodule.c
Modules/mmapmodule.c Modules/operator.c Objects/abstract.c
Objects/class <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068209.html>`__

----------------------------
OpenSSL and Windows binaries
----------------------------

Jim Jewett pointed out that a default build of OpenSSL includes the
patented IDEA cipher, and asked whether that needed to be kept out of
the Windows binary versions.  There was some concern about dropping a
feature, but Gregory P. Smith pointed out that IDEA isn't directly
exposed to any Python user, and suggested that IDEA should never be
required by any sane SSL connection.  Martin v. Löwis promised to look
into making the change.

Contributing threads:

- `windows 2.5 build: use OpenSSL for hashlib [bug 1535502]
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068009.html>`__
- `openSSL and windows binaries - license
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068055.html>`__

----------------------------
Type of range object members
----------------------------

Alexander Belopolsky proposed making the members of the ``range()``
object use Py_ssize_t instead of C longs.  Guido indicated that this
was basically wasted effort -- in the long run, the members should be
PyObject* so that they can handle Python longs correctly, so
converting them to Py_ssize_t would be an intermediate step that
wouldn't help in the transition.

There was then some discussion about the int and long types in Python
3000, with Guido suggesting two separate implementations that would be
mostly hidden at the Python level.

Contributing thread:

- `Type of range object members
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068230.html>`__

------------------------
Distutils version number
------------------------

A user noted that Python 2.4.3 shipped with distutils 2.4.1 and the
version number of distutils in the repository was only 2.4.0 and
requested that Python 2.5 include the newer distutils.  In fact, the
newest distutils was already the one in the repository but the version
number had not been appropriately bumped. For a short while, the
distutils number was automatically generated from the Python one, but
Marc-Andre Lemburg volunteered to manually bump it so that it would be
easier to use the SVN distutils with a different Python version.

Contributing threads:

- `Which version of distutils to ship with Python 2.5?
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067869.html>`__
- `no remaining issues blocking 2.5 release
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068240.html>`__

-------------------------------------
Dict containment and unhashable items
-------------------------------------

tomer filiba suggested that dict.__contain__ should return False
instead of raising a TypeError in situations like::

    >>> a={1:2, 3:4}
    >>> [] in a
    Traceback (most recent call last):
      File "<stdin>", line 1, in ?
    TypeError: list objects are unhashable

Guido suggested that swallowing the TypeError here would be a mistake
as it would also swallow any TypeErrors produced by faulty
``__hash__()`` methods.

Contributing threads:

- `dict containment annoyance
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068198.html>`__
- `NotHashableError? (Re: dict containment annoyance)
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068218.html>`__

-------------------------------
Returning longs from __hash__()
-------------------------------

Armin Rigo pointed out that Python 2.5's change that allows id() to
return ints or longs would have caused some breakage for custom hash
functions like::

    def __hash__(self):
        return id(self)

Though it has long been documented that the result of ``id()`` is not
suitable as a hash value, code like this is apparently common.  So
Martin v. Löwis and Armin arranged for ``PyLong_Type.tp_hash`` to be
called in the code for ``hash()``.

Contributing thread:

- `returning longs from __hash__()
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068043.html>`__

----------------------
instancemethod builtin
----------------------

Nick Coghlan suggested adding an ``instancemethod()`` builtin along
the lines of ``staticmethod()`` and ``classmethod()`` which would
allow arbitrary callables to act more like functions.  In particular,
Nick was considering code like::

    class C(object):
        method = some_callable

Currently, if ``some_callable`` did not define the ``__get__()``
method, ``C().method`` would not bind the ``C`` instance as the first
argument.  By introducing ``instancemethod()``, this problem could be
solved like::

    class C(object):
        method = instancemethod(some_callable)

There wasn't much of a reaction one way or another, so it looked like
the idea would at least temporarily be shelved.

Contributing thread:

- `2.6 idea: a 'function' builtin to parallel classmethod and
staticmethod <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068189.html>`__

--------------------------------
Unicode versions and unicodedata
--------------------------------

Armin Ronacher noted that Python 2.5 implements Unicode 4.1 but while
a ucd_3_2_0 object is available (implementing Unicode 3.2), no
ucd_4_1_0 object is available.  Martin v. Löwis explained that the
ucd_3_2_0 object is only available because IDNA needs it, and that
there are no current plans to expose any other Unicode versions (and
that ucd_3_2_0 may go away when IDNA no longer needs it).

Contributing thread:

- `Unicode Data in Python2.5 is missing a ucd_4_1_0 object
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068126.html>`__


==================
Previous Summaries
==================
- `Release manager pronouncement needed: PEP 302 Fix
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068050.html>`__


===============
Skipped Threads
===============
- `clock_gettime() vs. gettimeofday()?
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067879.html>`__
- `Strange memo behavior from cPickle
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067881.html>`__
- `internal weakref API should be Py_ssize_t?
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067885.html>`__
- `Weekly Python Patch/Bug Summary
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067888.html>`__
- `Releasemanager, please approve #1532975
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067889.html>`__
- `FW: using globals
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067892.html>`__
- `TRUNK FREEZE 2006-07-03, 00:00 UTC for 2.5b3
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067898.html>`__
- `segmentation fault in Python 2.5b3 (trunk:51066)
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067921.html>`__
- `using globals
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067947.html>`__
- `uuid module - byte order issue
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067948.html>`__
- `RELEASED Python 2.5 (beta 3)
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067959.html>`__
- `TRUNK is UNFROZEN
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067961.html>`__
- `2.5 status <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067963.html>`__
- `Python 2.5b3 and AIX 4.3 - It Works
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067985.html>`__
- `More tracker demos online
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067996.html>`__
- `need an SSH key removed
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/067999.html>`__
- `BZ2File.writelines should raise more meaningful exceptions
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068005.html>`__
- `test_mailbox on Cygwin
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068006.html>`__
- `cgi.FieldStorage DOS (sf bug #1112549)
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068011.html>`__
- `2.5b3, commit r46372 regressed PEP 302 machinery (sf not letting me
post) <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068012.html>`__
- `free(): invalid pointer
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068042.html>`__
- `should i put this on the bug tracker ?
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068045.html>`__
- `Is this a bug?
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068076.html>`__
- `httplib and bad response chunking
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068087.html>`__
- `cgi DoS attack
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068092.html>`__
- `DRAFT: python-dev summary for 2006-07-01 to 2006-07-15
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068098.html>`__
- `SimpleXMLWriter missing from elementtree
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068106.html>`__
- `DRAFT: python-dev summary for 2006-07-16 to 2006-07-31
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068136.html>`__
- `Is module clearing still necessary? [Re: Is this a bug?]
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068146.html>`__
- `PyThreadState_SetAsyncExc bug?
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068158.html>`__
- `Elementtree and Namespaces in 2.5
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068171.html>`__
- `Errors after running make test
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068176.html>`__
- `What is the status of file.readinto?
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068188.html>`__
- `Recent logging spew
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068196.html>`__
- `[Python-3000] Python 2.5 release schedule (was: threading, part 2)
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068199.html>`__
- `test_socketserver failure on cygwin
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068216.html>`__
- `ANN: byteplay - a bytecode assembler/disassembler
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068225.html>`__
- `Arlington VA sprint on Sept. 23
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068226.html>`__
- `IDLE patches - bugfix or not?
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068266.html>`__
- `Four issue trackers submitted for Infrastructue Committee's tracker
search <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2006-August/068287.html>`__

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