[Python-Dev] 2.4a2, and @decorators (original) (raw)

Barry Warsaw barry at python.org
Tue Aug 3 20:01:42 CEST 2004

On Mon, 2004-08-02 at 23:51, Guido van Rossum wrote:

And yes, I'm not 100% comfortable with it either. But I know one thing: in this particular case, now is better than never. So I'm picking a solution everybody can hate equally.

(What's wrong with pear-shaped, anyway? It's one of my favorite shapes. :-)

So I conducted a little experiment, converting a bunch of modules that were using Python 2.3 compatible "post-processing" decorator syntax, to pie decorator syntax, so that I could get a more visceral reaction to the decision. For me, the short answer is: +1, and not just because "it's better than nothing".

For longer functions, it's a clear win; the '@' stands out nicely, especially with the python-mode.el font-locking support I just added. :) It certainly exhibits all the benefits that motivated adding special syntax for decorators in the first place.

For shorter functions, e.g. read-only accessors, my only (very minor) lament is that I can't compact the enter thing down to a single line. My fingers want to do something like:

@property def get_bacon(self): return self._bacon

but then I tell my fingers to do this instead:

@property
def get_bacon(self):
    return self._bacon

Or, we'll compromise, my fingers and I, on:

get_bacon = property(lambda self: self._bacon)

So it's at least a wash there. (Really, pie decorators are better here too, IMO.)

My only other minor lament has nothing to do with this specific syntax. I still wish there was a way to decorate multi-arg property()'s, but oh well.

All in all, I'm quite happy with this syntax. Thanks Guido! -Barry

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