Functions does not accept keyword arguments if an argument list specified

[Manuel M. Garcia]

On Sun, 16 Feb 2003 23:17:39 +0100, Létezõ <letezo at fw.hu> wrote:
(edit)
>>>> def fn(*args,**kw): print 'args=%r, kw=%r'%(args,kw)
>...
>>>> fn(1,2,a=3,b=4)
>args=(1, 2), kw={'a': 3, 'b': 4}
>>>> al=[1,2]
>>>> kd={'a':3,'b':4}
>>>> fn(*al,**kd)
>args=(1, 2), kw={'a': 3, 'b': 4}
>>>> fn(1,2,**kd)
>args=(1, 2), kw={'a': 3, 'b': 4}
>>>> fn(*al,a=3,b=4)
>  File "<stdin>", line 1
>    fn(*al,a=3,b=4)
>           ^
>SyntaxError: invalid syntax

*args and **kw like to be last:

    >>> fn(a=3,b=4,*a1)
    args=(1, 2), kw={'a': 3, 'b': 4}

but I am pretty sure Guido considers the SyntaxError you found to be a
bug.  I remember reading he had some examples of completely
generalizing the syntax, but I forgot where I read it.

Manuel