On Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:08:42 +0000, kj wrote: > Other responses advocated for global variables. I avoid them in > general,
In general this is wise, but remember that because Python globals are not globally global, but local to a single module, they're safer than globals in other languages. Still, it's better to avoid them when possible. > and doubly so in Python, because I find Python's shenanigans > with globals mystifying (this business of becoming silently local if > assigned to); Globals don't become local when assigned to. You can shadow a global with a local of the same name, but the global remains untouched: >>> myglobal = 42 >>> def test(): ... myglobal = 0 # shadow the global with a new local ... >>> test() >>> myglobal 42 I find this behaviour perfectly natural, and desirable: it means I can assign to locals without worrying whether or not I'm about to stomp all over a global and destroy it. The alternative behaviour would be disastrous: >>> def f(x): return x+1 ... >>> def test(): ... f = 'spam' ... >>> test() >>> f(2) # this doesn't happen Traceback (most recent call last): File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module> TypeError: 'str' object is not callable -- Steven -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
