[Python-Dev] Re: [Patches] [Patch #101234] Allow all assignment expressions after 'import something as' (original) (raw)

Thomas Wouters thomas@xs4all.net
Mon, 21 Aug 2000 14:03:06 +0200

On Sun, Aug 20, 2000 at 11:37:46PM -0500, Guido van Rossum wrote:

> > Summary: Allow all assignment expressions after 'import something as' -1. Hypergeneralization.

I don't think it's hypergeneralization. In fact, people might expect it[*], if we claim that the 'import-as' syntax is a shortcut for the current practice of

import somemod sspam = somemod.somesubmod.spam

(or similar constructs.) However, I realize you're under a lot of pressure to Pronounce a number of things now that you're back, and we can always change this later (if you change your mind.) I dare to predict, though, that we'll see questions about why this isn't generalized, on c.l.py.

(*] I know 'people might expect it' and 'hypergeneralization' aren't mutually exclusive, but you know what I mean.)

By the way, notice that import foo.bar places 'foo' in the current namespace, after ensuring that 'foo.bar' is defined.

Oh, I noticed ;) We had a small thread about that, this weekend. The subject was something like ''import as'' or so.

What should import foo.bar as spam assign to spam? I hope foo.bar, not foo.

The original patch assigned foo to spam, not foo.bar. Why ? Well, all the patch did was use a different name for the STORE operation that follows an IMPORT_NAME. To elaborate, 'import foo.bar' does this:

IMPORT_NAME "foo.bar"
<resulting object, 'foo', is pushed on the stack>
STORE_NAME "foo"

and all the patch did was replace the "foo" in STORE_NAME with the name given in the "as" clause.

I note that the CVS version doesn't support this latter syntax at all; it should be fixed, even though the same effect can be has with from foo import bar as spam

Well, "general consensus" (where the general was a three-headed beast, see the thread I mentioned) prompted me to make it illegal for now. At least noone is going to rely on it just yet ;) Making it work as you suggest requires a separate approach, though. I'll think about how to do it best.

-- Thomas Wouters <thomas@xs4all.net>

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