[Python-Dev] Code Generation Idea Was: Bytecode idea (original) (raw)

Guido van Rossum guido@python.org
Wed, 26 Feb 2003 11:14:35 -0500

Would it be simpler to institute a special rule that True = 1 is silently ignored, but True = anything else generates an error message? Or am I overlooking something important?

Some people prefer

True = (1 > 0)

because this accesses the special integer (with value 1) that is used by the interpreter for the outcome of boolean results .

If you want to handle assigning to True an expression whose value is known only at run time, translate it into

if expression != 1 : raise Exception, "Attempt to assign invalid value to True" which would give a run-time error without costing cycles anywhere else.

I suggest you try coming up with a patch for that to see how much work it is. I expect it to be tough.

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)