[Python-Dev] Fuzziness in io module specs (original) (raw)

Pascal Chambon chambon.pascal at gmail.com
Sun Sep 20 09:16:27 CEST 2009

Well, system compatibility argues strongl in favor of not letting filepointer > EOF. However, is that really necessary to move the pointer to EOF in ANY case ? I mean, if I extend the file, or if I reduce it without going lower than my current filepointer, I really don't expect at all the io system to move my pointer to the end of file, "just for fun". In these patterns, people would have to remember their current filepointer, to come back to where they were, and that's not pretty imo...

If we agree on the simple mandatory expression 0 <= filepointer <= EOF (for cross-platform safety), then we just have to enforce it when the rule is broken : reducing the size lower than the filepointer, and seeking past the end of file. All other conditions should leav the filepointer where the user put it. Shouldnt it be so ?

Concerning the naming of truncate(), would it be possible to deprecate it and alias it to "resize()" ? It's not very gratifying to have duplicated methods at the beginning of a major release, but I feel too that "truncate" is a misleading term, that had better be replaced asap.

Regards, Pascal

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