[Python-ideas] proposal: module-level __init__

[M.-A. Lemburg]

Daniel Holth wrote:
> __all__ is very useful when doing import *, which is frowned upon. As an
> alternative, allow modules to contain a function called __init__ that
> defines that module's exported symbols by way of the global statement. By
> importing modules that are used, but not intended to be exported, inside the
> __init__ function, programmers avoid cases such as the unintentional
> 'somemodule.sys' (referring to a module by its non-canonical name) that
> makes it harder to refactor larger projects.
> 
> Before:
> 
> __all__ = ['a', 'b']
> import sys
> def a(): pass
> def b(): pass
> def c(): pass
> 
> After:
> 
> def __init__():
>     global a, b
>     import sys
>     def a(): pass
>     def b(): pass
>     def c(): pass
> 
> __init__()

This is already possible and used in modules where you don't
want to clutter up the global namespace. Where's the novelty ?

-- 
Marc-Andre Lemburg
eGenix.com

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