"properties" idiom

[Terry Hancock]

Alex, Mike,
Thanks a lot for the replies!

I'm trying out "interfaces" to make well-documented classes:

class MyClassAPI:
      """
      Document MyClass API.
      """
      def meth1(self):
            """
            Document meth1's API
            """
            raise NotImplemented("MyClassAPI.meth1")

class MyClass(MyClassAPI):
    """
    Actual implementation of MyClass.
    """
    def meth1(self):
            # do something real
            pass

... etc ...

I have the feeling this idea was borrowed from another language (Java?),
where accessor methods are the norm.  Creating similar behavior for
properties may be a bit challenging -- especially since this is for Zope, 
which often does things to __getattr__, so it's dangerous to mess with it (I 
have before, but it can get sticky -- you have to make sure to pass the call 
on to the base class's __getattr__ when you're done with it).  Zope 2.5.1 
also requires Python 2.1, so I can't use the property() method Alex 
described, but only the older method (but maybe in a later Zope).

Of course, they can simply be documented in the API's doc string, and/or
be defined with suitable defaults.

So far interfaces seem pretty nice, but I'm not certain whether I'm sold on 
them yet or not.

Cheers,
Terry

--
Terry Hancock ( hancock at anansispaceworks.com )
Anansi Spaceworks  http://www.anansispaceworks.com