[Python-ideas] Packages and Import

[Josiah Carlson]

"Brett Cannon" <brett at python.org> wrote:
> 
> On 2/9/07, Ron Adam <rrr at ronadam.com> wrote:
> > Brett Cannon wrote:
> > > On 2/8/07, Ron Adam <rrr at ronadam.com> wrote:
> 
> [SNIP]
> 
> > >> If you remove the "__main__" name, then you will still need to have some
> > >> attribute for python to determine the same thing.
> > >
> > > Why?  There is nothing saying we can't follow most other languages and
> > > just have a reserved function name that gets executed if the module is
> > > executed.
> >
> > Yes, but this is where python is different from other languages.  In a way,
> > python's main *is* the whole module from the top to bottom.  And so the
> > '__main__' name is referring to the whole module and not just a function in it.
> >
> > A more specific function would be needed to get the context right.  Maybe
> > __script__(),  or __run__().
> >
> >
> > Or if you want to be consistent with class's,  how about adding __call__() to
> > modules?   Then the main body of the module effectively works the same way as it
> > does in a class.  =)
> >
> >
> > Hey, I think that has some cool possibilities, it makes modules callable in
> > general.  So if I want to run a module's __call__(), AKA main() as you call it,
> > after importing I would just do...
> >
> >     import module
> >     module()
> >
> > And it would just work.  ;-)
> >
> 
> I like this idea.  Makes it very obvious.  You just say "when a
> specific module is specified at the command line it is called.  Could
> even have it take possibly sys.argv[1:] (which I think was supposed to
> turn into sys.args or sys.arg or something at some point).
> 
> What do other people think?

I don't like it.  Much of my dislike comes from personal aesthetics, but
then there is a logical disconnect.  When an instance of a class is
created, its __call__ method is not automatically called. By using the
semantic of 'the __call__ function in the module namespace is
automatically executed if the module is "run" from the command line', we
are introducing a different instance creation semantic (an imported
module is an instance of ModuleType).

I think we should just stick with what has been proposed for *years*, a
__main__ function that is automatically executed after the module has
been imported if its __name__ == '__main__'.  Even better, anyone who
wants to write code compatible with the updated syntax can include the
following literal block at the end of their files...

    if __name__ == '__main__':
        try:
            __main__
        except NameError:
            pass
        else:
            try:
                __main__()
            finally:
                try:
                    from __future__ import disable_run
                except SyntaxError:
                    #we are using an older Python
                    pass
                else:
                    #we are using a new Python, and
                    #disabling automatic running succeeded
                    pass

With such a semantic, current users of Python could include the above
literal block and it would *just work*...then again, the new semantic
wouldn't really be useful if people started using the above literal
block.


 - Josiah