[Python-ideas] Multi-line comment blocks. (original) (raw)
Guido van Rossum guido at python.org
Sat Jun 16 00:51:09 CEST 2012
- Previous message: [Python-ideas] Multi-line comment blocks.
- Next message: [Python-ideas] Multi-line comment blocks.
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ]
On Fri, Jun 15, 2012 at 3:47 PM, David Gates <gatesda at gmail.com> wrote:
My proposal wasn't for people who hand-code the single-line comment syntax but for those that use multi-line string comments. Since the multi-line string hack's BDFL-approved, people will use it and other people will have to deal with it.
What's wrong with it?
The best alternative would be official discouragement of multi-line string comments. It's fine if Python doesn't have an officially-sanctioned multi-line comment syntax, but if it's going to have one, it should have one that makes sense.
What doesn't make sense about it?
--Guido
On Fri, Jun 15, 2012 at 4:12 PM, Steven D'Aprano <steve at pearwood.info> wrote:
David Gates wrote:
Multi-line strings as comments don't nest, don't play well with docstrings, and are counter-intuitive when there's special language support for single-line comments. Python should only have one obvious way to do things, That's not what the Zen says. The zen says: There should be one-- and preferably only one --obvious way to do it. which is a positive statement that there should be an obvious way to solve problems, NOT a negative statement that there shouldn't be non-obvious ways. and Python has two ways to comment, only one of which is obvious. My suggestion is to add language support for comment blocks, using Python's existing comment delimiter: There is already support for nested multi-line comments: the humble # symbol can be nested arbitrarily deep. All you need is a modern editor that understands Python syntax, and with a single command you can comment or uncomment a block: # This is a commented line. # def fun(a, b, c): # """Docstrings are fine when commented""" # pass # # This is a nested comment. # And no need for an end-delimiter either. If your editor is old or too basic, you can do it by hand, which is a pain, but doable. Python doesn't need dedicated syntax to make up for the limitations of your editor. Don't complicate the language for the sake of those poor fools stuck using Notepad.
-- Steven
Python-ideas mailing list Python-ideas at python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-ideas
Python-ideas mailing list Python-ideas at python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-ideas
-- --Guido van Rossum (python.org/~guido)
- Previous message: [Python-ideas] Multi-line comment blocks.
- Next message: [Python-ideas] Multi-line comment blocks.
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ]