Python from Wise Guy's Viewpoint

[John Thingstad]

On Sun, 19 Oct 2003 15:24:18 +0200, Frode Vatvedt Fjeld <frodef at cs.uit.no> 
wrote:

>> mike420 at ziplip.com <mike420 at ziplip.com> pisze:
>>
>>> 8. Can you undefine a function, value, class or unimport a module?
>>>    (If the answer is no to any of these questions, Python is simply
>>>     not interactive enough)
>
> Jarek Zgoda <jzgoda at gazeta.usun.pl> writes:
>
>> Yes. By deleting a name from namespace. You better read some
>> tutorial, this will save you some time.
>
> Excuse my ignorance wrt. to Python, but to me this seems to imply that
> one of these statements about functions in Python are true:
>
>   1. Function names (strings) are resolved (looked up in the
>      namespace) each time a function is called.
>
>   2. You can't really undefine a function such that existing calls to
>      the function will be affected.
>
> Is this (i.e. one of these) correct?
>
Neither is complely correct. Functions are internally delt with using 
dictionaies.
The bytecode compiler gives it a ID and the look up is done using a 
dictionary.
Removing the function from the dictionary removes the function.
(pythonese for hash-table)


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