[IronPython] Decorators on classes

[Curt Hagenlocher]

Oh! I didn't realize that about 2.6.

There is indeed a big difference between a Python runtime decorator and a
.NET compile time attribute; in fact, the similarities are superficial at
best.

.NET attributes are totally static, so there's no way to modify a .NET class
definition to add them.  The IronPython engine would have to recognize
particular class-level Pythonic annotations and use that information to emit
a new CLR class to represent the Python class.  It already emits CLR classes
as needed to represent Python classes.  By "as needed", I mean that a
specific CLR base class plus a specific set of CLR interfaces will uniquely
determine a class to be emitted by IronPython.  This class is cached so that
-- once generated -- any new Python class definition that matches this set
of (CLR base class plus interfaces) will reuse the same CLR class
definition.

What you'd have to change is to put the class-level attributes onto the
generated CLR class, then change caching so that the key is (CLR base class
plus interfaces plus attributes).  It's definitely doable, but raises
intriguing questions about "purity".  And you'd also need to consider the
impact on the larger DLR.
Method-level attributes are an entirely different matter.
On Feb 4, 2008 10:58 AM, Michael Foord <fuzzyman at voidspace.org.uk> wrote:

> Class decorators will be in Python 2.6 - but there is a big difference
> between a Python runtime decorator and .NET compile time attributes. Is
> it possible to attach attributes at runtime using the reflection API?
>
> Michael
> http://www.manning.com/foord
>
> Keith J. Farmer wrote:
> > Can I resurrect this forgotten soul?
> http://www.codeplex.com/WorkItem/View.aspx?ProjectName=IronPython&WorkItemId=13583
> >
> > Having just finished working on LINQ to SQL, I'm convinced that future
> LINQ providers will be making heavy use of .NET attributes not just on
> properties, but on classes themselves.  Being able to express these
> attributes in IronPython is a tremendous bonus.  That there be one and only
> one way to express these is paramount.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Users mailing list
> > Users at lists.ironpython.com
> > http://lists.ironpython.com/listinfo.cgi/users-ironpython.com
> >
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
> Users mailing list
> Users at lists.ironpython.com
> http://lists.ironpython.com/listinfo.cgi/users-ironpython.com
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/ironpython-users/attachments/20080204/be98c727/attachment.html>