[Tutor] creating objects in a loop

[Alexandre Ratti]

Hi Erik,


At 22:45 02/04/2002 -0500, Erik Price wrote:
>>if __name__ == "__main__":
>>     cat = factory(Pets, "fluffy")
>>     print cat
>
>The "if __name__ == '__main__':" test -- I have seen it several times 
>now.  Why is this test performed?  Isn't it obvious that __name__ is 
>__main__ ?  Or am I missing something....

__name__ only has the value "__main__" when the code is run as a standalone 
module. This is handy for testing: you can add test code in this section 
and it only runs when you launch execution from *this* module. If you just 
import your classes or functions into another module, the test code does 
not run.

>Erik
>
>PS:  I truly am sorry that I have so many questions,

Don't be and ask away; this is what this list is meant for :-)

>but the more I learn the more I realize I don't know a lot of things.

Same here.


Cheers.

Alexandre