Python switch for syntax checking

[Scott David Daniels]

Jeff Duffy originally wrote:
 > I've been wondering why python itself doesn't provide a switch to
 > check a file for valid syntax....

> Jeff Shannon wrote:
> Bengt Richter wrote:
>> On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 12:08:00 -0800, Scott David Daniels 
>> <Scott.Daniels at Acm.Org> wrote:
>>> First, "python MyApp.py" does a syntax check anyway.  If MyApp is
>>> not a main program, all you get is the syntax check.  As for main
>>
>> ??? What does "not a main program mean"? I'm not sure what you mean, 
> 
> I believe that Scott is referring to the difference between a file run 
> from the commandline, in which __name__ is set to "__main__", and a file 
> that's imported as a module, in which __name__ is set to the name of the 
> module, which is normally the filename minus the .py[c|o|d] extension.
> 
I do mean something like that.  Essentially, I mean "if the file is
meant to be imported, rather than run."

> Of course, this would also imply that Scott is presuming that one is 
> following the good programming practice of not putting any significant 
> code (other than function, class, and global variable definitions) at 
> module level, except where protected by an 'if __name__ == "__main__":' 
> statement.  That *is* good practice, and most people do it, but it's not 
> required so perhaps not a safe presumption...

Remember, I am explaining why we normally don't have a syntax-check-only
option, and my thesis is that there is no perceived need on the part of
the core implementers.

--Scott David Daniels
Scott.Daniels at Acm.Org