[Python-Dev] More optimisation ideas (original) (raw)

Terry Reedy tjreedy at udel.edu
Mon Feb 1 22:44:34 EST 2016

On 2/1/2016 3:39 PM, Andrew Barnert via Python-Dev wrote:

There are already multiple duplicate questions every month on StackOverflow from people asking "how do I find the source to stdlib module X". The canonical answer starts off by explaining how to import the module and use its file, which everyone is able to handle.

Perhaps even easier: start IDLE, hit Alt-M, type in module name as one would import it, click OK. If Python source is available, IDLE will open in an editor window. with the path on the title bar.

If we have to instead explain how to work out the .py name

from the qualified module name, how to work out the stdlib path from sys.path, and then how to find the source from those two things, with the caveat that it may not be installed at all on some platforms, and how to make sure what they're asking about really is a stdlib module, and how to make sure they aren't shadowing it with a module elsewhere on sys.path, that's a lot more complicated.

The windows has the path on the title bar, so one can tell what was loaded.

IDLE currently uses imp.find_module (this could be updated), with a backup of import(...).file, so it will load non-stdlib files that can be imported.

Finally, on Linux and Mac, the stdlib will usually be somewhere that's not user-writable

On Windows, this depends on the install location. Perhaps there should be an option for edit-save or view only to avoid accidental changes.

-- Terry Jan Reedy

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