[Python-Dev] Pragma-style declaration syntax (original) (raw)

Guido van Rossum guido@beopen.com
Mon, 28 Aug 2000 12:09:30 -0500

I've been tossing some ideas around w/r to adding pragma style declarations to Python and would like to hear what you think about these:

1. Embed pragma declarations in comments: #pragma: name = value Problem: comments are removed by the tokenizer, yet the compiler will have to make use of them, so some logic would be needed to carry them along. 2. Reusing a Python keyword to build a new form of statement: def name = value Problem: not sure whether the compiler and grammar could handle this. The nice thing about this kind of declaration is that it would generate a node which the compiler could actively use. Furthermore, scoping would come for free. This one is my favourite. 3. Add a new keyword: decl name = value Problem: possible code breakage. This is only a question regarding the syntax of these meta- information declarations. The semantics remain to be solved in a different discussion.

I say add a new reserved word pragma and accept the consequences. The other solutions are just too ugly.

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.pythonlabs.com/~guido/)