Issue 17003: Unification of read() and readline() argument names (original) (raw)
Created on 2013-01-20 16:13 by serhiy.storchaka, last changed 2022-04-11 14:57 by admin. This issue is now closed.
Messages (9)
Author: Serhiy Storchaka (serhiy.storchaka) * 
Date: 2013-01-20 16:13
read() and readline() optional parameter which limit the amount of read data has different names in different classes. All this classes mimic (less or more) io classes. Keyword parameter name is a part of method specification. Therefore it will be good made all read() arguments names the same and all readline() arguments names the same (and be consistent with documentation and C implementation). At least we should choose most consistent name for new implementations. If existent C implementation of some method doesn't support keyword argument (all _io classes) or argument names in C and Python implementations are different then we are free to change this name without breaking existing code.
For example, read()'s parameter named as:
"n" in _pyio, zipfile, and io documentation; "size" in gzip, bz2, imaplib, tarfile, codecs, mailbox; "len" in ssl; "wtd" or "totalwtd" in binhex; "amt" in http/client; "chars" in codecs; "buffersize" in os.
readline()'s parameter named as:
"limit" in _pyio, zipfile, and io documentation; "size" in gzip, bz2, codecs, mailbox, lzma.
Author: Serhiy Storchaka (serhiy.storchaka) *
Date: 2013-01-20 16:22
Looks as size is most common parameter name for both read() and readline(). First, we can change the io documentation and _pyio signatures (it shouldn't break anything because _io doesn't support keyword arguments).
Author: Antoine Pitrou (pitrou) *
Date: 2013-01-20 17:14
"n" is the best choice IMO. "size" is ok too, although it may be confused with the byte-size of the result.
Author: Serhiy Storchaka (serhiy.storchaka) *
Date: 2013-01-20 17:19
Here is a patch which changes name of optional parameter of read(), read1(), peek(), and readline() methods to most common name "size" in the documentation and _pyio module. truncate() in _pyio fixed to conform with documentation. This changes are safe.
There is open question about readlines(). It's optional parameter named as:
"hint" in _pyio and the documentation; "size" in bz2; "sizehint" in codecs and mailbox.
Author: Serhiy Storchaka (serhiy.storchaka) *
Date: 2013-01-20 17:21
"n" is the best choice IMO.
Unfortunately most stdlib modules vote for "size".
Author: Serhiy Storchaka (serhiy.storchaka) *
Date: 2013-08-29 18:29
Are there any objections to the patch?
Author: Roundup Robot (python-dev) 
Date: 2013-09-16 20:18
New changeset 46c1c2b34e2b by Serhiy Storchaka in branch 'default': Issue #17003: Unified the size argument names in the io module with common http://hg.python.org/cpython/rev/46c1c2b34e2b
Author: Martin Panter (martin.panter) *
Date: 2015-01-09 12:41
Is there anything left for this bug or could it be closed? I can confirm my v3.4.2 docs say “size” instead of “n” :)
Author: Serhiy Storchaka (serhiy.storchaka) *
Date: 2015-01-09 15:03
readlines() parameter name is not unified still (it can be "hint", "size", "sizehint"). There is no obvious winner.
History
Date
User
Action
Args
2022-04-11 14:57:40
admin
set
github: 61205
2017-03-07 17:44:28
serhiy.storchaka
set
status: open -> closed
resolution: fixed
stage: patch review -> resolved
2015-01-09 15:03:32
serhiy.storchaka
set
messages: +
2015-01-09 12:41:07
martin.panter
set
nosy: + martin.panter
messages: +
2013-09-16 20🔞26
python-dev
set
nosy: + python-dev
messages: +
2013-08-29 18:29:33
serhiy.storchaka
set
assignee: docs@python -> serhiy.storchaka
messages: +
versions: + Python 3.4
2013-01-26 17:17:06
tshepang
set
nosy: + tshepang
2013-01-20 17:21:36
serhiy.storchaka
set
messages: +
2013-01-20 17:19:47
serhiy.storchaka
set
files: + io_parameter_names.patch
keywords: + patch
messages: +
stage: patch review
2013-01-20 17:14:49
pitrou
set
messages: +
2013-01-20 16:22:49
serhiy.storchaka
set
messages: +
2013-01-20 16:13:14
serhiy.storchaka
create