[Python-ideas] Quick idea: defining variables from functions that take the variable name

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Tue, May 31, 2016 at 02:12:05PM +0000, Joseph Martinot-Lagarde wrote:

> It could work with indexing, like:
> 
>     key -> my_dict[]
> 
> instead of
> 
>     key = my_dict[key]

That would have to be

    key = my_dict['key']


With the possible exception of the typing module, I don't see when that 
would be useful.

There are proven uses for passing a name to a function. Any time that an 
object needs to know its own name, you have to pass it to the 
constructor. But I can't think of any cases where you would want to do 
something similar with item lookup.

> Or even attribute lookup with a trailing dot:
> 
>     attr -> my_object.

That fails the "grit on Uncle Timmy's monitor" test. The trailing dot is 
easy to miss.



-- 
Steve