Which idiom is better? try: ... except Attr..Err or hasattr?

[Gerrit Holl]

Peter Funk wrote on 948958807:
> Look at the following coding alternatives often seen in generic python code:
> 
> class A:
>     def load(self): 
>         # ... do something e.g. load a file
>         try:
>             self.update()
>         except AttributeError:
>             pass
> 
> class B:
>     def load(self):
>         # ... do something e.g. load a file
>         if hasattr(self, 'update'):
>             self.update()
> 
> Which coding idiom is better?  The second form is one line shorter than
> the first, but it has the disadvantage, that the method (or attribute) must
> be named twice.  Both idioms are used in the standard libary.

The second one: is self.update() contains an error raising an
AttributeError, you don't want to catch it.

regards,
Gerrit.

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