EAFP gone wrong

[Malte Helmert]

Ben Finney wrote:

> def latex(val):
>     def make_result_in_the_absence_of_a_latex_method():
>         result = transmogrify(val)
>         return result
>
>     try:
>         typeset_func = val.latex
>     except AttributeError:
>         typeset_func = make_result_in_the_absence_of_a_latex_method
>
>     result = typeset_func()
>     return result

In this particular case, where in the case of an AttributeError you want
to use a fallback callable with the same signature as the bound method
you get in case of success, I'd say getattr with a default is the nicest
approach:

def latex(val):
    def make_result_in_the_absence_of_a_latex_method():
        result = transmogrify(val)
        return result
    return getattr(val, "latex",
                   make_result_in_the_absence_of_a_latex_method)()


Doesn't work as nicely if you don't have
make_result_in_the_absence_of_a_latex_method's functionality bundled
into a suitable function already, though.

Malte