[Python-Dev] Re: cookie support for FancyURLopener? (original) (raw)

John J Lee jjl@pobox.com
Thu, 10 Jul 2003 13:45:14 +0100 (BST)

Randy wrote:

I have never contributed to the python source, but I am considering adding cookie support to the FancyURLopener library, especially in the

I presume you're planning to use my code, since you mailed me about it earlier. IMHO, it's not yet in any fit state to put forward for inclusion in the Python library. I hope to get it there in time for 2.4.

Actually, how late is it possible to be in the release cycle and still get something like this in? And, more importantly, do people have an opinion on whether cookie support is appropriate in the standard library? My code is rather long -- is that a problem, if I'm prepared to maintain it myself? For various reasons, it'll get shorter than it is ATM, but it's unavoidably complicated if you want to get it right, I'm afraid.

Anyway, that said, Randy, there's nothing to stop you writing the glue code to give urllib cookie support now (I already have urllib2 glue code). That might be useful: my last attempt at a urllib patch tells me that, since I don't use urllib, I'd probably mess it up ;-(

OTOH, personally, I don't like the idea of extending urllib any further. Does urllib actually do anything that urllib2 doesn't do better? Maybe it should be deprecated (I don't mean scheduled for removal, of course, just marked as being the wrong thing for new code)? I think that would be useful, because people seem to be afraid of urllib2 -- perhaps simply because the docs look longer than they are thanks to the large number of sections. If that were done, I suppose the various little functions in there (urlencode, quote, quote_plus, etc.) would have to find a new home.

BTW, anybody know how to follow-up to a thread when you don't have the original message in your mail client?

John