[Python-ideas] contextlib.maybe

[Terry Reedy]

On 12/11/2011 12:07 AM, Julian Berman wrote:
> Twice recently I've found myself wanting to write the following code:
>
>      def fn(a_file=None):
>          responsible_for_closing = False
>
>          if a_file is None:
>              a_file = open(a_default_location)
>              responsible_for_closing = True
>
>          do_stuff(a_file)
>
>          if responsible_for_closing:
>              a_file.close()
>
> which can be written slightly shorter I know, but it's still a tiny bit
> messy and repetitive. What I'd prefer to write is something more like:
>
>      def fn(a_file=None):
>          with contextlib.maybe(a_file, open, default) as a_file:
>              do_stuff(a_file)

Expecting contextlib to have such a specialized context manager that 
does exactly what you want is perhaps too much. However, you should be 
able to write a class yourself that keeps the flag and does the 
conditional opening and closing in the __enter__ and __exit__ methods.

-- 
Terry Jan Reedy