[Python-Dev] Syntax suggestion for imports (original) (raw)

Guido van Rossum guido at python.org
Thu Jan 3 03:05:13 CET 2008

I wonder if your perceived need for this isn't skewed by your working within the core?

Also, in 3.0 many of the use cases should go away -- e.g. cStringIO vs, StringIO, etc., as we switch the stdlib to having a single "public" name for an API which automatically replaces or augments itself with the accelerated C version if available.

--Guido

On Jan 2, 2008 5:19 PM, Raymond Hettinger <python at rcn.com> wrote:

The standard library, my personal code, third-party packages, and my employer's code base are filled with examples of the following pattern:

try: import threading except ImportError: import dummythreading as threading try: import xml.etree.cElementTree as ET except ImportError: try: import cElementTree as ET except ImportError: import elementtree.ElementTree as ET try: from cStringIO import StringIO except ImportError: from StringIO import StringIO try: import readline except ImportError: pass

How about a new, simpler syntax: * import threading or dummythreading as threading * import xml.etree.CElementTree or cElementTree or elementree.ElementTree as ET * from cStringIO or StringIO import StringIO * import readline or emptymodule

Python-Dev mailing list Python-Dev at python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-dev Unsubscribe: http://mail.python.org/mailman/options/python-dev/guido%40python.org

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

More information about the Python-Dev mailing list