python file API

[Mark Lawrence]

On 24/09/2012 22:35, zipher wrote:
> For some time now, I've wanted to suggest a better abstraction for the <file> type in Python.  It currently uses an antiquated C-style interface for moving around in a file, with methods like tell() and seek().  But after attributes were introduced to Python, it seems it should be re-addressed.
>
> Let file-type have an attribute .pos for position.   Now you can get rid of the seek() and tell() methods and manipulate the file pointer more easily with standard arithmetic operations.
>
>>>> file.pos = x0ae1      #move file pointer to an absolute address
>>>> file.pos +=1            #increment the file pointer one byte
>>>> curr_pos = file.pos  #read current file pointer
>
> You've now simplified the API by the removal of two obscure legacy methods and replaced them with a more basic one called "position".
>
> Thoughts?
>
> markj
>

This strikes me as being a case of if it ain't broke don't fix it.

-- 
Cheers.

Mark Lawrence.