other python ideas

[D'Arcy J.M. Cain]

Jeff Massung <jmassung at magpiesystems.com> wrote:
> Arnold de Vos wrote in message
>>Yep.  As pointed out on this group from time to time, import from * can be
>>harmful.

> I'm new to Python - I'm understand why it is harmful (finally ;) - but was
> wondering, if it is that harmful, why have it to being with (what good can
> come from using it)?

I find it useful in module writing.  I will often have a module that imports
other modules, either my own or system ones, and I want to avoid the
extra layers of reference.  For example, let's say I was writing a module
and I wanted the stat constants to be available through it.  I don't
want to have to name each constant (what if a new one gets added later?)
and I dont' want the user of the module to have to do something like
mymodule.stat.S_ISDIR so I import * from stat after checking carefully
that it doesn't clash with my own module.  Now the above is mymodule.S_ISDIR.
The user is still safe but he doesn't have to know what I imported.

-- 
D'Arcy J.M. Cain <darcy at vex.net>           |  Democracy is three wolves
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