Very Horrible Question About Goto's

[John Mitchell]

On Wed, 19 Apr 2000, Daley, MarkX wrote:

> It depends on what the GOTOs are doing.  If they are providing a GOSUB-like
> feature, you can do the same thing in Python by defining the task and then
> invoking it in other functions.  If they are providing flow control, it may
> be a little trickier. 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richard Jones [mailto:richard.jones at ibahealthcare.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2000 12:09 AM
> 
> I'm trying to create a converter from our own internal language (horrid)
> into python.  My only problem so far is that the original language uses
> *LOTS* of goto's.  Is there any way that this can be replicated within
> python ?

I have two suggestions:

1) the only valid use of goto's in C I've seen looks like this:

	if (bogus)
		goto cleanup
	do stuff;
	return(okay);
cleanup:
	close file handles;
	do cleanup
	return(error)

One way to do this in Python is using Exceptions, which in practice is
much cleaner:

	status = error
	try:
		do stuff
		status = okay
	except Bogus:
		cleanup

	return status

Also checkout try/finally for this type of thing.


2) Often, when porting a program from a procedural language (C, Perl) to
Python, you'd be better off *rewriting* the entire program.  Yes, I know
it's a pain; but for some reason whenever I do this the code *shrinks* by
about 30-50%, and is more flexible and easier to read.

I used to write procedural code, then get sick of it after ~150 lines and
refactor it into Objects and Methods (ie: cut-and-paste).  Resulting
program was shorter and much, much easier...


just my 2c


- j