Implementing Tuples with Named Items

[Fredrik Lundh]

Bryan wrote:

> in the python cookbook 2nd edition, section 6.7 (page 250-251), there a problem
> for implementing tuples with named items.  i'm having trouble understanding how
> one of commands work and hope someone here can explain what exactly is going on.
>   without copying all the code here, here is the gist of the problem:
>
> from operator import itemgetter
>
> class supertup(tuple):
>      def __new__(cls, *args):
>          return tuple.__new__(cls, args)
>
> setattr(supertup, 'x', property(itemgetter(0)))
>
>  >>> t = supertup(2, 4, 6)
>  >>> t.x
>  >>> 2
>
>
> i understand what itemgetter does,
>
>  >>> i = itemgetter(0)
>  >>> i((2, 3, 4))
>  >>> 2
>  >>> i((4, 8, 12))
>  >>> 4
>
> i understand what property does, and i understand what setattr does.  i tested
> this problem myself and it works, but i can't understand how t.x evaluates to 2
> in this case.  how does itemgetter (and property) know what tuple to use?

the missing piece in your puzzle is what's known as "descriptors":

    http://users.rcn.com/python/download/Descriptor.htm

(property returns a descriptor, and the object machinery will use that
descriptor to control what happens when you access the 'x' attribute).

hope this helps!

</F>