[Python-ideas] dict(default=int)

[Matt Gilson]

On Mon, May 29, 2017 at 11:59 AM, Neil Girdhar <mistersheik at gmail.com>
wrote:

> A long time ago, I proposed that the dict variants (sorteddict,
> defaultdict, weakkeydict, etc.) be made more discoverable by having them
> specified as keyword arguments and I got the same feedback that the poster
> here is getting.  Now, instead of moving these classes into dict, why not
> have a factory like
>
> dict.factory(values=None, *, ordered=True, sorted=False,
> has_default=False, weak_keys=False, weak_values=False, …)
>

Hmm ... I don't think that I like this.  For one, it greatly increases the
amount of surface area that needs to be maintained in the standard
library.  As far as I know, we don't currently have a
OrderedWeakKeyDictionary with defaultdict behavior.  If this was to be
added, then each of the combinations of input keyword arguments would need
to be supported.  Many of them probably don't have very compelling
use-cases or they might not have semantics that would be easy to agree upon
a "preferred behavior" (Assuming that a mythological SortedDict pops into
existence in the standard lib, what happens if you call
`dict.factory(sorted=True, ordered=True)`?).  Of course, this sets a
precedence that future dict subclasses need to be added to the
`dict.factory` constructor as well which risks a very bloated signature
(or, someone has to make the decision about which subclasses should be
available and which should be left off ...).  This last argument can
repurposed against providing easy access to builtin dict subclasses via
their own methods (`dict.defaultdict(...)`).

I don't find very cumbersome to import the dict subclasses that I need from
the locations where they live.  I like that it forces me to be explicit and
I think that it generally makes reading the code easier in the normal cases
(`defaultdict(in)` vs. `dict.factory(default=int)`).  Of course, if someone
finds this idea particularly interesting, they could definitely explore the
idea more by creating a package on pypi that attempts to provide this
factory function.  If it got usage, that might go a long way to convincing
us nay-sayers that this idea has legs :-).




>
> If prefers the keyword-argument as options to the keyword-argument as
> initializer magic, they can set:
>
> dict = dict.factory
>
> Best,
>
> Neil
>
> On Thursday, March 9, 2017 at 5:58:43 PM UTC-5, Chris Barker wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> >If we really want to make defaultdict feel more "builtin" (and I don't
>>> see
>>> >any reason to do so), I'd suggest adding a factory function:
>>> >
>>> >dict.defaultdict(int)
>>>
>>
>>
>>> Nice.
>>>
>>
>> I agree -- what about:
>>
>> dict.sorteddict() ??
>>
>> make easy access to various built-in dict variations...
>>
>> -CHB
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Christopher Barker, Ph.D.
>> Oceanographer
>>
>> Emergency Response Division
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>>
>> Chris.... at noaa.gov
>>
>
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-- 

Matt Gilson | Pattern

Software Engineer
getpattern.com
<https://www.getpattern.com?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=signature-matt>
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