no return values for __init__ ??

[Gordon McMillan]

Helge Hess wrote:
> Gordon McMillan wrote:
> > >   def __init__(self...
> > >      s = super.__init__(self...
> > 
> > OK, but it introduces a "gotcha". As in, what happened to the
> > stuff I set up before calling super.__init__, (which is not
> > only valid, but often useful).
> 
> I don't know what you mean with that. It is deallocated if
> another value is returned and available to super.__init__ as
> usual. super.__init__ can base it's decision about the value to
> return on state already set up in self as well. I cannot see a
> problem here.

Hmmm...

class Base:
  def __init__(self, arg):
    if type(arg) is type(''):
      s = String(arg)
    elif type(arg) is UnicodeType:
      s = Unicode(arg)
    # preserve any mods to the instance
    s.__dict__.update(self.__dict__)
    if self.__class__ is Base:
        return s  
    # oops, there are other classes involved
    # now rebuild the class hierarchy
    klass = self.__class__
    while klass:
        # assuming no MI, so we don't
        # have to get recursive
        parent = klass.__base__          
        if parent and parent is Base:
            klass.__base__ =  #oops, 
            # what do I do now?

Guess what? I need to derive a new class on the fly!

- Gordon