code style and readability [was: Re: Checking the boolean value of a collection]

[Marco Bizzarri]

On Sat, Sep 13, 2008 at 4:11 PM, Fredrik Lundh <fredrik at pythonware.com> wrote:
> Marco Bizzarri wrote:
>
>> class FolderInUse:
>
>>
>>
>>    def true_for(self, archivefolder):
>>        return any([instance.forbid_to_close(archivefolder) for instance in
>>            self.core.active_outgoing_registration_instances()])
>>
>> Is this any better? The true_for name does not satisfy me a lot...
>
> well, "true_for" is indeed pretty inscrutable, but I'm not sure that would
> be the first thing I'd complain about in that verbose mess...

"verbose mess".

It is always frustrating when you do what you think is your best and
you read that.

Anyway: I'm here to learn, and, of course, part of it is to listen
those who've been there much longer than you.

So, thanks for your sincere evaluation, Fredrik :-).

> (when you pick method names, keep in mind that the reader will see the
> context, the instance, and the arguments at the same time as they see the
> name.  there's no need to use complete sentences; pick short short
> descriptive names instead.)

Maybe I'm looking at the wrong direction, right now. From the point of
view of the FolderInUse clients, they will do:

condition = FolderInUse(core)

condition.true_for(folder)

Is this too verbose? This is not a polemic statement, I'm really
asking your opionion.

The expression inside the true_for is indeed complex, and maybe I can
simplify it; however, I'm deeply convinced that

instance.forbid_to_close(folder)

has some good points on it; I mean, once I read this kind of code, I
can hope to understand it without looking at what forbid_to_close
does.


> </F>
>

-- 
Marco Bizzarri
http://notenotturne.blogspot.com/
http://iliveinpisa.blogspot.com/