Python's "only one way to do it" philosophy isn't good?

[Lenard Lindstrom]

Falcolas wrote:
>> f = some_file() #maybe it's the file store for a database implementation
>> f.write('a bunch of stuff')
>> del f
>> #insert code that assumes f is closed.
>>
>> This is the sort of code that I warn against writing.
>>
>> f = some_file()
>> with f:
>>   f.write("a bunch of stuff")
>> #insert code that assumes f is closed, but correctly this time
>>
>> is better.
> 
> This has raised a few questions in my mind. So, here's my newbie
> question based off this.
> 
> Is this:
> 
> f = open(xyz)
> f.write("wheee")
> f.close()
> # Assume file is closed properly.
> 

This will not immediately close f if f.write raises an exception since 
the program stack is kept alive as a traceback.

> as "safe" as your code:
> 
> f = some_file()
> with f:
>   f.write("a bunch of stuff")
> #insert code that assumes f is closed, but correctly this time
> 

The with statement is designed to be safer. It contains an implicit 
try/finally that lets the file close itself in case of an exception.

--
Lenard Lindstrom
<len-l at telus.net>