[Python-Dev] global statements outside functions/methods should raise SyntaxError

[Michael Foord]

Ezio Melotti wrote:
> Python currently accepts global statements at the top level:
>>>> global foo
>>>>
>
> Beside being a meaningless operation, this might lead unexperienced
> user to make mistakes like:
>>>> foo = 5
>>>> global foo # make foo global
>>>> def func():
> ...   print foo # access the global foo
> ...
>>>> func()
> 5
>>>> # it works!
>
> "global foo" should raise a SyntaxError, similarly to what already
> happens with "return":
>>>> return foo
>  File "<stdin>", line 1
> SyntaxError: 'return' outside function
>
>
> I opened an issue on the tracker (http://bugs.python.org/issue7329)
> and Benjamin suggested to discuss this here.
> The test he mentioned is in test_global.py:
>
>    def test4(self):
>        prog_text_4 = """\
> global x
> x = 2
> """
>        # this should work
>        compile(prog_text_4, "<test string>", "exec")
>
> It just says that "it should work" but it doesn't say /why/.

Well, personally I think it would be a good thing if this raised an 
exception during bytecode compilation - but it would fall under the 
moratorium and have to wait a few years.

On the other hand it should be easy to get PyLint to include a checker 
for this and they are very responsive to feature requests.

All the best,

Michael

>
> Any thoughts?
>
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