[Python-ideas] PEP 572: about the operator precedence of :=

[M.-A. Lemburg]

On 10.05.2018 15:57, Guido van Rossum wrote:
> On Thu, May 10, 2018 at 5:04 AM, M.-A. Lemburg <mal at egenix.com> wrote:
> 
>> To a (former Pascal) programmer, a := 1 doesn't read like an
>> operator. It's an assignment expression. If embedded expressions
>> is where Python is heading, it should be made very clear where
>> the embedded expression starts and where it ends on a line.
>>
> 
> The rules we've arrived at are about as straightforward as it gets: the RHS
> of `:=` ends at the nearest comma or close parenthesis/bracket/brace.

That may be easy for a computer to parse, but it's not for
a programmer. It would be better to contain such expressions
inside a safe container which is clearly visible to a human
eye.

ohoh = a := (1, 2, 3), 4, a * 2

vs.

aha  = ((a := (1, 2, 3)), 4, a * 2)

You'd simplify the above logic to: the RHS of ":=" ends at the
nearest closing parenthesis.

> OT about the name: despite Tim's relentless pushing of "binding
> expressions" in the end I think they should be called "assignment
> expressions" just like in C.

-- 
Marc-Andre Lemburg
eGenix.com

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