A better self

[David LeBlanc]

Except, of course, "self" is not the name of the first argument, it's merely
the identifier most often used for the first argument.

This is essentially the same as the posted example:
class foo:
    def __init__(this, me, me2, me3):
        this.a = me
        this.b = me2
        this.c = me3

    def bar(this):
        print this.a, this.b, this.c

b = foo("ba", "bb", "bc")

b.bar()

I have no problem with "self" (or whatever) being equivelent to a leading
'.', but '..' would be confused with "up directory" syntax of U*x - although
it's tempting to suggest it as an alternative for global <grin>.

I'm not sure what you meant by ".attribute should have an extra space...".

David LeBlanc
Seattle, WA USA

> -----Original Message-----
> From: python-list-admin at python.org
> [mailto:python-list-admin at python.org]On Behalf Of Erik Max Francis
> Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2002 16:17
> To: python-list at python.org
> Subject: Re: A better self
>
>
> David LeBlanc wrote:
>
> > I notice that in every discussion of self, there's always a '.' in
> > there.
> > So, why not make a leading '.' mean self? AFAIK, it's otherwise
> > currently
> > illegal. The only drawback that I can think of is that it's less
> > visible as
> > a first argument for class defs.
> >
> > class foo():
> >         def __init__(., me, me2, me3)
> >                 .a = me
> >                 .b = me2
> >                 .c = me3
> >         def fee(.)
> >                 print .a, .b, .c
> >         def bar(.)
> >                 .fee()
>
> This doesn't totally revolt me, but I would prefer that the "self"
> argument still be an explicit self:
>
> 	def __init__(self, me, me2, me3) ...
>
> so that the notation `.attribute' is just a shortcut for
> `self.attribute'.  Having the "self" argument written as . suggests that
> accessing an attribute in it should involve an extra space, e.g.
> `..attribute' which is clearly not what you meant.
>
> `self' as the name of that first argument is already so entrenched it's
> really hard to come up with reasonable arguments about replacing it.
>
> --
>  Erik Max Francis / max at alcyone.com / http://www.alcyone.com/max/
>  __ San Jose, CA, US / 37 20 N 121 53 W / ICQ16063900 / &tSftDotIotE
> /  \ See the son in your bad day / Smell the flowers in the valley
> \__/ Chante Moore
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